Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder
Chapter 548

Chapter 48 : He's Gone

*Lena*®

Heather was pacing back and forth across the living room of our apartment, her face screwed up ina vicious scowl. I was sitting on the couch, my cheeks tear-stained and the tender skin above my leftbreast throbbing painfully as Viv held my hand, toying with my fingers to mask her own nerves."And he didn't even walk you home?" Heather spat, her face flaming with fury.

I choked back a sob and nodded, to which Heather replied by throwing her hands in the air andstifling what could have only been a scream.

"F*ck these Morhan men, seriously,” Viv mumbled, her face flushed of all color as she glanced at me,then down to where Xander's mark was, although it was hidden by several layers of clothing, and athick robe, at this point.

I was freezing. Everything hurt. I felt like I was being torn to shreds from the inside out. Rejection. Ithad to be rejection. How could I have been so stupid?

"I say we kill him," Heather said sharply.

I would have thought she was joking or trying to make me feel better, but her expression wasdeathly serious. “I'll be fine," I cried, but I didn't feel fine.

"What the f*ck was he thinking! Marking you, then kicking you out-" Heather was raging.

I'd never seen her like this before, and if I hadn't been on the verge of a total breakdown, I wouldhave been incredibly impressed by her ability to throw herself into this kind of fury.

I was crumbling. My entire body was shaking as Viv tightened her grip on my hand.

This kind of anguish should have sent me into a tailspin and ignited my powers. But for whateverreason, all I felt was grief.

My fingers weren't prickling. Plants weren't growing between the gaps in the hardwood floor, and Ihadn't obliterated my roommates in a burst of light.

I was just devastated, and for the first time in my life, I was able to feel every single excruciatingemotion without it causing me to spiral out of control.

Normally I'd retreat. I'd back myself into the darkness, looking for the door to the secret place, thegarden I kept hidden in my mind.

I hadn't been able to replace it today. I was numb to everything but the pain radiating through mybody.

Xander had sent me home in a pair of his sweatpants and sweater that hung so loosely from mybody that I had to hold my pants up as I walked the five blocks between our apartments. Xanderwas a mess, fighting with Adrian the entire time I dressed, the argument spilling into the hallwayand down the stairs into the lobby of the apartment building.

At first I thought someone must have died based on the severity of the fight, or that we were underattack. He was frantic, pulling on a coat and hat and practically pushing me out the door, telling meto go straight home without giving me a single second to ask why, or what had happened.

He stalked off down the street, in the opposite direction, while I stood on the snowy sidewalk in mywalk of shame outfit, the sweatpants I was wearing covering the black leather boots I'd worn thenight before, which were useless in the thick snow.

Adrian had tried to apologize, but I had been too shocked to register what he'd said. He took offafter Xander, leaving me alone.

The pain didn't start until I was halfway home. The ribbon woven through my body, tying me toXander, felt like it was fraying, pulling so tightly around my heart I thought it would rip and fall topieces.

I'd never known anyone who had been rejected by their mate. Xander and I had chosen each otheronly hours before. The tears had started to fall when I began to wonder if he had woken up next tosee, full of regret, his decision marred by alcohol and primal passion.

Stupid, stupid, stupid girl, I thought. You i***t. You knew better. This went against everything youpromised yourself, everything you knew that was right.

How many times had I ended up on this couch surrounded by my roommates as they tried to helpme? I was nothing but a burden.

I was leaving tomorrow. It was a good thing.

But as I sat there, watching Heather and Viv argue about what could be done, I felt a sudden,inexplicit peace wash over me. I leaned into the couch cushion, taking a shuddering breath.

There was a deep void inside of me, whatever had been there before replaced by numbness.

The thread that bound me to Xander quivered, then slackened, its hold around my heart fallingaway as the throbbing of the fresh mark wound faded.

I stood up, leaning forward as I tried to fill my lungs and slow my pounding heart.

Heather and Viv watched me as I staggered toward the kitchen and poured myself a glass of water.“Talk to us, Lena. What can we do?" Heather pleaded, but I chugged the water, closing my eyes as itwet my parched throat.

“Nothing,” I breathed, setting the cup down on the counter. “I feel better.”

"What-" Viv asked, but I shook my head, cutting her off as I turned to look at them.

“It's gone,” I said softly, my voice losing its tremble.

"What's gone?" Heather growled, still looking as fierce and heated as before.

“I don't feel it anymore. It doesn't hurt." I touched the mark, then shrugged.

Viv let out her breath, but Heather furrowed her brow, looking exceedingly suspicious.

No one said anything after that. I padded to my room, shutting the door behind me and sinkingdown into my bed.

Hours passed before I opened my eyes again. The sun was setting as I rolled out of bed, replaceing theapartment empty as I walked back out into the living room.

Viv and Heather had been packing up for their journeys home for Winter Break. Their suitcases wereopen and half full. Little piles of clothes and shoes were scattered on the rug in front of the couch.

I owed them an apology. I owed them endless thanks for caring for me repeatedly over the past fewweeks.

I had to tell them the truth, just like I'd told Xander, regardless of the outcome.

I went back into my room and rummaged through the desk in the far corner, replaceing two pieces ofpaper and a pen. I spent the next hour spilling my truth out on paper, crumbling the sheets betweenmy hands and starting over, and over, again.

Eventually, I gave up, flopping down on my bed with my arms splayed and my eyes closed. I heardViv and Heather come home, their muffled voices coming from beneath the door as I proppedmyself up on my elbows.

There was a male voice with them, and I rolled out of bed before my mind could catch up with mybody. I opened the door, coming face to face with Adrian.

I stepped out of the room, a feeling of dread washing over me as the three of them turned to me."What's happened?" I asked, a lump forming in my throat. I reached up to touch the mark on mychest.

Adrian glanced between Viv and Heather before looking back at me. “Xander left town," Adrianreplied, his voice low and hoarse. His cheeks were flushed a rosy pink, and based on the sweat lininghis temples, I assumed he'd run all the way here.

"Where did he go?"

“Lena, I don't know. That's why I'm here. Did he tell you... did he tell-" Adrian's words dropped offabruptly and he shook his head, glancing at me before turning for the door. “He didn't tell you-"“Tell her what?" Heather snapped, just as irritated as she had been when I came home earlier in theday and told them what had happened.

“When do the three of you leave Morhan?" he asked us, turning back around to face us.

Viv glanced around nervously, and Heather looked somewhat shocked.

“Tomorrow, all three of us,” I replied, narrowing my eyes at him. “What's going on? Does this havesomething to do with Crimson Creek?"

He didn't answer, but his eyes told me everything I needed to know.

“When is he coming back?" I pressed, but Adrian only shrugged, looking defeated. I wished that Vivand Heather weren't in the room so I could ask him for details. I knew he wouldn't tell me anythingin front of them.

“I don't know."

“There has to be something-" I began, but Adrian was heading for the door.

Heather and Viv glanced at each other as I followed him out into the hallway, closing the doorbehind me and praying my roommates weren't eavesdropping.

“What the hell is going on, Adrian?"

"What did he tell you last night?" Adrian hissed, turning around to face me before he reached thestairwell.

"What do you mean?”

Adrian looked deep into my eyes, searching for something. I blinked, pursing my lips as I waited forhim to tell me something, anything.

“Is he in trouble?" I asked, but Adrian shook his head, leaning on the railing overlooking the stairs."A man came looking for him last night. He showed up at the party after the two of you had alreadyleft. Gideon, I believe."

“Gideon was here?"

He nodded. “He said he needed to speak to Xander, but I... I didn't think it was serious enough. Ithought Xander was going to tell you—"

“Tell me what?!"

Adrian's eyes were deeply blue, and shone like gems in the dim light in the hallway. He washandsome, but boyish, his blond curls ruffled and falling over his ears and forehead.

He considered telling me. I could see the internal argument he was having flashing behind his eyes.But he decided against it, shaking his head and then turning toward the stairs.

“Is he gone?" I asked, my voice catching. “Is that why I can't feel... I can't feel the mark anymore? Ifelt like he might have been rejecting me—"

"What time do you leave tomorrow?"

“In the early morning. I'm catching the six o'clock train to Breles.”

Adrian nodded solemnly. “I'm sorry, Lena. I can't give you the answers you need. It's not for me totell you.”

“Is he gone?" I repeated, damn near begging for an answer.

“Not gone, not like that,” Adrian said, a soft smile touching his mouth. His eyes met mine for amoment, then he turned, and walked down the stairs.

"Whose Gideon?" Heather said from the door I hadn't noticed was open.

I turned to her, trying to stop the furious flush from coloring my cheeks. “Part of that strange familyin Crimson Creek. I think... I don't know, Heather. This is all too much.”

She gave me a soft, knowing smile.

"Well, I say f*ck it all. Let's go do something tonight, celebrate, you know? I heard the ice skatingrink was recently cleared of snow..."

I followed Heather into the apartment, looking over my shoulder at the empty stairwell.

Where are you? I thought, wondering if Xander could hear me.

And what the f**k is your problem?