Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder novel Chapter 576

Chapter 76 : Has He Talked About Me?

*Lena*

Hale's tour of the castle was totally innocent, and as I wandered the halls alongside him, the guilt that tied my stomach in a knot began to lessen. He showed me every room and told little stories along the way.

He'd been born and raised within these walls along with his older brother and Clare. Their father never truly recovered after their mother's death, and the last years of Hale's childhood had been dark and lonely.

He walked me back into the library where a lunch service was waiting for us, and I sat down across from him in front of the hearth while he dished out sandwiches, fruit, and cups of tea.

“Clare should have been Alpha," he said as he sat down, bringing the tea to his lips before adding, “She was made for it, you know. She has the personality for it. But she's the youngest by two minutes, so… it didn't work out that way."

“She would make quite the formidable Alpha," I said with a knowing smile as I sipped my tea, and Hale nodded in agreement.

His eyes were shadowed, however, and I knew he was about to tell me what I already knew, at least, the side of the story Clare had told her family.

“She was really young when she had Sasha–too young. Sasha has been such a blessing to our family, though. I… I love her. I mean, you know her–"

“Sasha is nothing but light." I smiled, tears welling in the corner of my eyes.

He nodded, chuckling a bit as his own eyes watered. He sighed, clearing his throat as he leaned back against his couch.

“So, uh," he began, reaching up to wipe a tear from his cheek as he attempted to change the subject. “Who is Adrian to you? You said he left for a while?"

A week ago, I would have lied. I would have spun some story, maybe even telling Hale Adrian was my cousin or a friend from college. But as I sat within the walls of the castle of Cedar Hollow, I felt an overwhelming desire to accept who I was, and to be proud of it. Clare's situation, her strength, had changed something within me. I leaned forward, exhaling as I met his eye.

“Adrian is my mate's Beta," I said. “And he left to find someone who–"

“You're mated to an Alpha?"

I nodded, wincing a bit at the note of shock in his voice. He leaned forward, suspicion lining his gentle features. At the moment he looked like the Alpha he was and not a shy, quiet man harboring an unrequited crush.

“What are you doing here, then? Did he reject you–"

“He may have," I replied quickly, cutting him off. I sipped my tea to wet the abrupt dryness in my mouth and set the teacup down on the try, preparing to explain everything.

“But his Beta–"

“No one has seen Xander… Alpha King Alexander–"

“Alpha King?" Hale stood, confusion and fire igniting behind his eyes.

I ground my teeth as I nodded, then slowly rose from my couch, extending my hands out in surrender. “Let me explain–"

“Alpha King of what? Are you… you can't be mated to Alpha King Eugene of–"

“Eugene," I said with a short laugh, “is my grandfather on my mother's side."

The truth hit him like a rogue wave, washing over him and leaving him drenched. His eyes went wide as he attempted to take a step backward, but he hit the couch.

“You're–"

“Princess Selene of Valoria," I said, extending a hand for him to shake. “It's nice to meet you."

Hale looked as though he was about to faint, but maintained his composure as I watched the color drain and then slowly return to his face. I took the deepest breath possible as I met his eye, and then I told him everything.

Never in my life had I told my story so fully and all at once. Hale listened intently, his eyes not once leaving mine. I realized that Hale and I had something in common, the only reason he was willing to listen and empathize with me while I spoke, weaving together the story of when, of what, and of why.

This young generation of leaders, of royals, were modern in a way even our parents couldn't have predicted. Gone were the days of breeders and arranged marriages–for now, anyway. Gone were days of mailing letters and taking months long journeys by boat to reach the nearest cities. Peace reigned in the pack lands for the first time in centuries, and we were the generation that was tasked to see it forward.

But we were educated, worldly, and bored. Often times, we were born into roles we didn't want, but didn't have the option of saying no.

Hale, an Alpha because his father and brother had died, was a twenty-one year old leader of his people, tasked with the care and keeping of his pack. He hadn't had the opportunity to live any other way or experience anything outside of his pack like other people our age.

We shared this crushing responsibility.

I told him about Xander, and what I knew about Crimson Creek. I told him how Xander and Adrian had alluded to war on the horizon but were keeping me in the dark. I told him about how Xander had either left on his accord or was in trouble, and that Adrian was here to find him because of our bond. I told him how I was hiding from everyone.

When I finished my story, the sun was beginning to set. The lunch tray was full, untouched. And Hale simply blinked, and nodded, turning on his heel to leave the library with haste.

“When Adrian returns," he said over his shoulder, “have him come to me, immediately."

And then he was gone.

***

A week passed with no word from Adrian. I had no idea where he'd gone, and had no way of contacting him. I went to work. I ran errands. I borrowed some books from the public library in the village, and I waited, and waited, and waited.

When Saturday rolled around once more, I took my usual perch on the front porch to watch the rain patter on the gravel road outside the front gate of the garden. I watched the villagers walk by, sometimes dressed in thick sweaters and raincoats and sometimes in their wolf forms. I watched, and waited, and watched some more.

But then I saw her, walking briskly toward the cabin, her damp red hair sticking to her raincoat as she hurried toward the cottage. I stood up from the rocking chair, nearly knocking it over as I darted off the porch and down the steps to the front garden.

I met her at the gate.

“Abi," I whispered as she pushed the gate open.

She was dragging a suitcase behind her, and her cheeks were pink with chill and exertion.

“You need to tell me everything," she panted, then threw her arms around me in a tight embrace.

***

“Well, based on your letter, it sounds like you're starting to believe Adrian is right in that Xander is in trouble," Abigail said as she stretched her legs out on the couch. She sniffed her tea, then reached for the sugar bowl on the coffee table, putting three sugar cubes into the steaming, rose-colored liquid.

“I want to believe it. I know that sounds awful, but I want to believe he didn't just abandon and reject me. After what Clare felt, or saw, however her powers of sight work… I just can't shake the feeling he's in trouble."

I'd spent the last two hours filling Abigail in on the situation. I was shocked that she was here, but happy about it. It wasn't something I'd asked for, but it was something I realized I desperately needed. If I was going to finally shed the fake life I'd been trying to live for the entirety of my adulthood, well, there was no one else I wanted by my side.

“Did he go back to his realm?"

“Adrian says no, he did not."

“How come you can't use your powers to find him?" she asked, arching one of her crimson brows at me. “You know, I don't even know what all you can do, Lena."

“I don't know what all I can do," I murmured, slouching into my armchair.

She waited for me to continue, and I sighed as I swirled my tea in the mug, watching bits of undissolved sugar dance at the bottom of the cup. I told her what I knew I was capable of. I could make plants grow. I could Dream Dance. I had healing blood.

But the light that came from within me, the fire… I had no idea what it was or how to control it. I also hadn't used my powers of sight in years and wouldn't even know how to begin.

Abigail nodded her head as I spoke. She was neither surprised nor impressed, and I was thankful she didn't gawk over my unearthly powers.

“Well, no wonder you're a botanist!"

I gave her a look, then sipped my tea.

“I don't know what to do, Abi. What am I supposed to do? Go home to my parents? Go to Winter Forest and just… wait for him?"

Abi looked thoughtful, then sighed, shaking her head.

“You wouldn't be going to Winter Forest, not now–"

“Why?"

“You know, your letter got me just in time. I was leaving for Breles only a few hours before the post came to the florist shop in Avondale. I figured that before I left for Cedar Hollow, I could spend a day in Breles interviewing for some jobs around town. But when I got there.... Lena, the Royal Navy is there in full, all of the ships. There were warriors all over Breles."

I ran my tongue along my lower lip as I met her eye.

“Adrian won't tell me anything, Abi. He says it's Xander's–"

“f**k Xander! Are we at war? And if so, with what? It was a mix of warriors from all over the pack lands."

I huffed a breath, anxiety creeping over my skin.

“I think I need to go home," I breathed, but Abi shook her head slowly from side to side.

“I don't think you could get home," she pressed, leaning forward. “That's how bad things are getting. We need answers. Where the hell is Adrian?"

The way she said Adrian's name sent a surge of shock through me. I looked at her, noticing the lines of concern drawn in the creases of her eyes.

“Where is he?" she repeated.

“He said he'd be back soon. I don't know when, but it's been a week."

She breathed shallowly, her nostrils flaring as she sank back against the couch.

“We're safe here, Lena. I think you should stay until you know where Xander is. I'll stay with you, and we'll figure this out. I wish I had news about your family, but I left the palace when you did. I think Charlie is in Breles with the navy, but–"

“They'll be fine," I breathed, closing my eyes.

The conversation died, and my mind was reeling as I laid my head against the back of the armchair.

Curse you, Xander, I thought. Curse you for not telling me the truth about what was going on. I knew this had something to do with Crimson Creek. It had to.

“Has Adrian said anything about...." Abi trailed off, her cheeks going rosy as she lowered her gaze and cleared her throat.

I arched my brow at her. “About what?"

“About me," she said sheepishly, shrugging as she gave me a sad smile.