Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder novel Chapter 584

Chapter 84 : Pitch Black

*Xander*

The weather had been in our favor as we sailed to Breles. The three of us spent most of the journey arguing about what needed to happen when we got there.

I wanted to drop the anchor of the ship outside of Breles, somewhere we wouldn't have to cut through the city and risk being seen on our way to Crimson Creek. Adrian thought docking in Breles was the best chance of finding a vehicle that could take us to Crimson Creek, but Oliver shot down both ideas, worried about something happening to the Persephone in our absence, and also worried about our journey being hampered by being caught by his father on our way through the city if we chose Adrian's route. Oliver thought it best we leave the ship in open water and take a skiff to Breles, waiting until nightfall to steal into the city and find a car, or a truck, or someone willing to drive us where we needed to go.

We ended up drawing straws, and Adrian's idea won out.

All I cared about was getting to Crimson Creek. I didn't care how it happened as long as it happened fast. When we got there, our first stop would be at Gideon's house, and from there we would do everything we could to find Lena and rescue her from her captors, whoever they were.

But there was a war to worry about. The cities of the west were being attacked at night by the hybrid beasts, but Oliver's knowledge of the situation lessened my anxieties.

From what he told us, I gathered that the attack in Cedar Hollow had been calculated–an isolated incident. And whoever was commanding the king's beasts had spared none of their forces in attacking the village and finding Lena. Oliver said it had been a week since there was news of any towns and villages in the southwest being attacked, and the warriors were on standby in Breles.

Just waiting.

We waited in open water outside of Breles until nightfall, then skillfully docked the Persephone alongside a handful of navy cruisers and ferries in the middle of the night. If we were seen, well, everyone who knew the Alpha of Poldesse would just assume the Beta of Poldesse had arrived with fresh recruits instead of the truth, which was that the Prince of Poldesse and his new buddies had stolen it and sailed it across the vast channel between the Isles and Finaldi

It was chaos in Breles. The warriors were working in shifts maintaining the city's perimeter. The port, which was a town in itself, was crawling with warriors when we snuck off the ship, and to my surprise, we blended right into the billowing crowds waiting in line for food or enjoying a pint outside of the many bars and restaurants that were only open now for the warriors to enjoy.

I didn't know where they'd evacuated the people of Breles. I didn't ask. I didn't want to know in the event that information was ripped from me in a moment of weakness… or torture.

“Are you sure you don't want to find your dad? If you want to stay here, we can stick this out on our own–" I began.

“No," Oliver replied firmly as we walked toward the outskirts of the city, where the crowds were less but the presence of on-duty warriors had increased two-fold. We had to slink between darkened alleys to avoid their prying, suspicious eyes. “I'm going with you. She's my cousin, and I might be able to help in other ways."

“What other ways?" Adrian snickered, but Oliver shot him a look.

Things were tense between the two of them. Adrian hadn't been quiet about the fact that Abigail was his mate, and I could see the glimmer of jealousy in Oliver's eyes even now. Poor guy… he really couldn't catch a break.

“I have healing powers in my blood, for one. Among other things."

“Other things?" I whispered as we pressed our backs into a brick building, hiding in the shadow of an alleyway as a group of warriors passed by on the street.

“I can do some of the things Lena can do," he said casually.

Before I could push him to elaborate, we were on the move again, and a heavy silence passed over us, reaching a high when we came upon a truck running idle against the curb a few blocks from the edge of town.

We crouched behind a dumpster and watched three warriors standing with their backs to us, smoking cigarettes. They'd crossed the street after a moment and went into a small bodega, their bodies moving against the bright, fluorescent lights as they spoke to the shopkeeper. I glanced at Adrian, noticing his narrowed eyes.

“We need that truck," Oliver hissed, and Adrian nodded, turning his eyes to mine.

I nodded my agreement, and the three of us sprinted from behind the dumpster and made a break for the truck. I jumped behind the wheel, and Oliver took the passenger seat. Adrian flung his body into the bed of the truck, landing as ungracefully as possible with a cracking thud that alerted everyone in the area to our presence.

“Drive!" Oliver cried as the three warriors whipped their heads around and came barreling out of the bodega.

I threw the truck in reverse by accident, slamming into a light pole. Adrian yelped in surprise and was immediately thrown backward as I threw the truck into drive and sped off down the street, the warriors screaming for us to stop.

Within minutes we were driving out of Breles, and for the first time in days, I felt like I could breathe.

***

“Have you seen them at all?" I asked Oliver as we drove through the pitch-black night. I had my headlights off, letting the moon guide us along the totally empty highway as Adrian slept in the bed of the truck and Oliver sat by my side.

I'd been talking to Oliver for three hours as we sped toward Crimson Creek. He'd just told me the whole story of Hollis and Will, and I felt an irrational anger toward Hollis, who I hadn't even spoken a word to.

“No, not at all. Will is in Breles from what I understand, and I don't know where Hollis is. I've been staying at my house instead of at the castle." He glanced back at Adrian, who was snoring so loudly we could hear him over the hum of the engine. “I am happy for them, you know–Adrian and Abigail, that is. I couldn't care less about Hollis and Will."

I pursed my lips, giving Oliver a tight smile.

“It's weird for you though?"

“Yeah, it's weird," Oliver admitted, crossing his arms over his chest. “I… I saw Abigail at the party before the wedding and I thought I felt… I was sure I felt the mate bond, but it was just a flicker, like someone lighting a match and then putting it out between their fingers." He mimicked the movement, then shrugged, shaking his head. “I've never felt that before. I know it's supposed to be–"

“All-consuming, painful, like you can't think of anything else."

“Yeah," he agreed, slumping in his seat.

I turned my eyes toward the highway, unnerved by the total darkness. We'd passed several towns that were empty, black shadows in the distance–no lights, no cars, no people.

I felt Oliver's eyes on me and glanced at him. “What?"

“Is that what it feels like for you, toward Lena?"

“Yes," I said, exhaling on the word.

I looked down at the dash and calculated how much gas we had left. We could make it to Crimson Creek, but barely. We'd likely be running in our wolf forms to Gideon's property on the far edge of town. “I felt it first, obviously. She's not twenty-one for another couple of months. But the first time I touched her...." I tapered off, clearing my throat as I gripped the steering wheel in preparation for what I was about to say next. “I mean, like, really touched–touching her because I wanted her. That's when I felt it. That's when I knew."

I knew Oliver and Lena were close, more like siblings than cousins. I was better off being honest with him than glazing over the truth of the matter.

“I never thought I'd find my mate," I admitted. “I'm still coming to terms with it."

“Well, I'm sorry it's Lena."

“What?" I choked, glancing at him.

He shrugged, a smirk flashing across his mouth. “She's a real pain in the ass sometimes," he laughed, running his fingers through his russet hair, the red strands catching on the moonlight coming through the windshield. “I love her, of course, but hell… we just stole the Persephone and a truck, and now we're on a cross country road trip into the depths of hell to rescue her from what, vampires?"

I raised my brows, a laugh escaping my lips as I shook my head. He wasn't wrong.

Silence passed between us for the next hour, broken only by Adrian knocking on the window.

“Pull over!" he shouted, wincing a bit.

I pulled the truck onto the side of the road, and he hopped out, followed by Oliver. They walked into the sparse bushes on the roadside, a good distance apart, and came back within minutes with Adrian complaining that his hands and feet were frozen.

Oliver took his place in the bed of the truck, and Adrian slid in beside me, warming his hands on the dash.

“You good to drive? You've been up all night."

“I'm fine. It's not much further," I assured him.

On we went, and I didn't notice how hard I'd begun to grip the steering wheel until my hands began to ache, and I relaxed my grip. I didn't know what we were walking into. I didn't want to think about it, to dwell on it.

“Do you think Gideon is even home, with everything that's been going on?"

“Where else could he go?" I replied, but then I slammed on the brakes as something moved onto the road one hundred yards or so in front of us, stopping along the centerline. Adrian started, and for a split second I thought the fatigue setting into my body was playing tricks on me.

But then…

“Get out. Get out, get out–"

I shoved Adrian against the door and he opened it, toppling onto the highway. Oliver was standing in the truck bed, looking at the shadow no doubt, and I pounded the back window and screamed at him to run.

A screech filled the air, the same I'd heard while in the cave with Henry, and my blood ran cold.

“As your Alpha, I command you to run!" I screamed at Adrian, who was standing now, staring blankly at the shadow as it unfurled its wings.

Oliver didn't hesitate. He was in his wolf form in an instant, large and red as blood as he tackled Adrian to the ground, snapping him out of his stupor. I was pulled from the truck in the opposite direction, but I watched Adrian and Oliver as Adrian shifted and the two of them hesitated before sprinting into the darkness.

Hands were on my shoulders, my arms, dragging me across the asphalt. I watched the darkness, not taking my eyes off the direction Adrian and Oliver had gone. I heard a howl just before a bag was placed over my head, something tightening around my neck.

Adrian and Oliver would go to Gideon. They'd find him. They'd find help.

These beasts only wanted me.

Whoever held me captive didn't make a sound, but whatever they swung into the air and cracked over the top of my head did.

I'll be there soon, I said into the bond to Lena, just as my vision went black.