Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder novel Chapter 989

*Sasha*

Midnight. Midnight tonight, I would have my wolf. And I would have Lucas. Or… I wouldn't.

The stubborn jackass refused to talk about being in love and ignoring the mate bond if it didn't work out for us, even into today. I'd actually had to beg him to stay in our room and sleep next to me. But we didn't make love, and that made me sad. If Lucas was going to make me let him go, I wanted to make love with him at least one last time.

Next to me, the bed was cold, which told me Lucas had gotten up and gone out a lot earlier. That wasn't surprising, though, given I'd mutinously buried myself in bed well into the afternoon.

Finally, Phoebe knocked at my door. “Sasha?"

“Come on in," I said.

Phoebe wandered in, wearing a very nice party dress that would also work well in the heat of New Dianny. “Trina and the other girls wanted me to get you up so we could do some pre-birthday primping."

I snuggled my head below the comforter, leaving just a small tuft of hair sticking out. “I'd rather not."

“Sasha." I felt the mattress dip as Phoebe sat down on the side of the bed. “I know you're worried about you and Lucas, but this is a really big birthday. You should celebrate, either way. And, not to guilt trip you, but the others did put a lot of effort into this party."

With a groan, I popped my head out. “Alright," I sighed. “Primp me."

Phoebe grinned. “That's the spirit." She yanked the covers off of me entirely and tugged me up, pushing me toward the shower. “Doesn't smell like you had a rocking good time with your almost-mate last night, but I figure you want to be clean, anyway."

“Yeah, that was kind of disappointing to me, too," I grumped, jumping in the shower even before it was warm. I yelped.

“Okay, I should have said you didn't need to freeze yourself to death to get to the primping on time," Phoebe called into the bathroom.

“Good to know… now," I called back.

When I finished a quick shower, Phoebe was there holding out a towel. I dried off quickly, finished my “morning" routine, even though it was late afternoon, and followed Phoebe out into the arboretum.

The women I'd been spending time with in New Dianny, including and especially Trina, were all there, armed with implements of beauty torture.

I laughed and sat myself down on the empty chair they were surrounding.

“About time," Trina scolded, starting to dry my dark hair. “We thought we'd have to send the guard up sooner or later."

“Or Luna Alison. Luna Alison is good at getting people up and at'em," another girl, who was brushing my eyebrows–and plucking them–said.

“Sorry, guys. Just been a little… I dunno...." I mumbled.

“A little lovesick? Yeah, we get it," Trina clucked, blowing some of my locks into my eyes. “The rumor mill says your talk didn't go well."

I turned my head, and the eyebrow-plucker shrieked, jerking my chin back where she wanted it. “Seriously, do the walls around this place have ears?"

“Definitely," Trina said. “Can't do a damn thing around here without someone finding out. Biggest little small town in the whole Light Realm."

I shook my head, making both Trina and the girl doing my eyebrows shriek in protest.

“Do you ever just sit still?" Trina despaired.

“I could try," I replied contritely.

“Good. Try." Trina worked her way around my whole head while the other girl carefully sculpted both of my eyebrows.

Phoebe perched herself on a white, wrought iron chair not far off and enjoyed an afternoon martini. She raised her pink drink to me and sipped it daintily.

Obviously, I wasn't getting one unless I was a good little china doll, which was a shame, because I desperately needed one for my nerves.

Through the windows, I could see a HUGE stack of wood being built up for a bonfire. Lucas appeared out of the mass of men doing the stacking, holding an armload of wood and passing it off to a stacker.

My heart pounded and wept at the same time.

“He's your mate," Trina assured me as she put down the blow dryer and got out a curler.

“You're sure?" I whispered.

“If he's not, I'll eat my stilettos," Trina said.

We all laughed at that image. Trina had stilettos on right now that could double as weapons for sure.

I was soon in a white wraparound dress, the new modern version of the robe that had been used in wolf calling ceremonies of old. Luna Alison and Joy had decided to reenact such a ceremony for this evening. They still practiced it in the Dark Realm, but Amanda had decided to forego it when she'd started making plans for my birthday. I felt a little bad I wouldn't be there with her to bring in my wolf.

“If he doesn't eat you alive, then I'm a cat," Trina declared, and the others agreed, including Phoebe.

I twirled in front of a standing mirror that was set off to one side. I wasn't really one to think much of my looks, but right now, I had to say I did look gorgeous.

“Go out to him right now, wearing that," Phoebe suggested.

“Ooo, yeah! Who could possibly say 'no' to that!" Trina said. Then she added, “But don't get it wrinkled."

“Or mud or sand-stained," another girl added.

I blushed. “I'll try not to."

“Good plan. Now off you go," Phoebe said, shooing me away.

I walked out the garden door of the arboretum and headed toward the bonfire.

Brady was coming with an armload of wood. He looked at me and whistled. “Looking for Lucas?"

“Yes," I replied.

“This has got to be one of those moments where you're like, not supposed to see the bride before the wedding," Brady sighed. “But, he should be along shortly."

True to Brady's word, Lucas came walking up behind the others carrying wood just seconds later. He looked up, saw me, and froze.

“Don't wrinkle her," Brady said to Lucas, clapping him on the shoulder as he wandered off.

“Sasha," Lucas swallowed.

Not 'Sasha sweety.' Not a good start. “Lucas."

“You… you're… you look...." Lucas's burning eyes raked me up and down.

“Trina made me promise you wouldn't wrinkle me, or get sand or mud on the dress." I giggled nervously.

“Er… right… yeah. Well, no risk of that, right?" Lucas replied, gesturing with a shrug to the wood in his arms.

“Oh, sorry, I'm in your way." I stood aside and let him pass, following in his wake. “You know, Lucas, I was thinking we could–"

“I'm kinda busy right now, Sasha. Can it wait?" Lucas cut in quickly.

I felt as though I'd been stabbed in the heart, but I nodded. “It's… yeah. It's fine. I should get back to the girls, anyway."

Lucas gave me a strained smile, then went back to shuttling wood to the bonfire site.

My steps felt heavy as I made my way back to the arboretum.

Trina was already holding out a martini. So was Phoebe.

“Which one am I supposed to take?" I asked.

“After what just happened there, I'm going with both," Trina said, and Phoebe agreed.

They didn't have to tell me twice. I downed both martinis in less than ten minutes, throwing myself into one of the wrought iron chairs.

“I think it really might be over," I mumbled.

“Nonsense. Don't be so glum. He's your mate. When his fat stupid head realizes that, everything will be back to the way it was," Trina said, gesturing with her glass. I didn't know how many martinis she was on, but I was happy to catch up.

“And if we're not mates?" I asked glumly.

“I'll eat my stilettos," Trina announced.

I laughed. “You said that already."

“And it's just as true now as it was then."

I wasn't sure, but I thought it was about five martinis later that all of us girls, arm in arm, went swaying toward the roaring bonfire as the party began. I think we also might have been singing–or slurring–one of the two.

Joy rushed over with water, George with a plate of hors d'oeuvres as we arrived.

“Boys are dumb," I explained to Joy before she could scold me.

Joy groaned and waved George off, handing the plate of hors d'oeuvres to Phoebe. “Is Lucas being a big dumb i***t?"

“Yes," I grumbled.

“Of course he is." Joy rolled her eyes and handed the pitcher of water and some glasses to Trina and the rest of the girls. “Sober up a bit. We're hoping to have the ceremony by eleven."

“Yes, ma'am," Trina said, giving a mock salute in the wrong direction.

Joy huffed and marched over to Lucas, muttering something under her breath about “men" and “morons."

I was just putting a glass of water to my lips–or rather I was trying to, but couldn't quite find my mouth–when Lucas stomped over.

“Ladies," Lucas said, “can I borrow the guest of honor for a minute? Oh, and some of those nibbles."

Phoebe presented Lucas with the hors d'oeuvres plate, which was already two-thirds empty.

Lucas balanced the plate on one hand and put his free arm around me, steering me off to the side of the celebrants. “Did you have to get hammered, really?"

“Yes. Because boys are dumb," I told him. I poked him in the chest, my water almost sloshing onto his shirt. “You're a big dumb idiot."

“Okay. I take full responsibility for that. I guess I have been a big, dumb i***t today," Lucas sighed, plucking the water from my hand. He held it to my lips so I could finally drink.

I took a few swallows, then pointed a more steady finger at him. “I love you, and you won't love me back unless I'm your true mate. That's messed up."

“I never said I didn't love you back," Lucas said quietly.

I blinked until there was only one of him standing before me. “What?"

Lucas set the hors d'oeuvres on a nearby small, high table. “I said I never said I didn't love you back. I do love you, Sasha."

“Then I don't see the problem!" I wailed.

“Shhh...." Lucas put his finger to my lips. “Keep your voice down."

“Then I don't see the problem," I said in a loud whisper.

“There might not be a problem. We just have to wait until you get your wolf," Lucas insisted.

“That doesn't make any sense! Phoebe and Brady are committed to each other and they're not true mates!" I pointed out.

Lucas closed his eyes and pressed his forehead to mine. “Sasha, sober up. Meet your wolf. Then… come find me and we'll talk."

“But–"

A soft kiss stopped whatever else I was going to say. “Just do as I say."

As Lucas wandered off, I ate the rest of the hors d'oeuvres in a fit of rage–not because he'd told me to–and drank the pitcher of water dry–again, not because he'd told me to.

When I was sober, I walked back into the party, feeling really crummy. But I put on a fake smile when Alison and Joy came for me to bring me up on a low stage and start the ceremony.

“And now," Alison said, “I want you all to get out your cue cards so we can do the ancient chant together until midnight. When midnight comes, so will Sasha's wolf, and she will finally be whole."

I'd never be whole without Lucas, but I smiled just the same.

The chanting began and repeated over and over again in a solemn loop. I knew it was midnight when the chanting stopped.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

Please, let Lucas be my mate.

Moments later, I opened my eyes.