Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder
Chapter 554

Chapter 54 : You Have to Marry Him

*Lena*®

The ballroom was situated toward the main entrance of the palace, and I found it rather easy tosneak into my room without being seen leaving the party.

The night was young, but I tore away at my gown anyway, struggling to replace the zipper under thepale blue tulle that fell over my shoulder and down my back. I was panting by the time I'd steppedout of the dress and taken out the pin holding back my hair. I glanced in the mirror as I pulled on asilky pajama set, noticing my smudged makeup and overall disheveled appearance.

Xander was an Alpha? How could that possibly be? And where the hell was Egoren?

I paced the room, cleaning up the pins I'd shaken from my hair, and hung the dress back in thewardrobe. While my room was far removed from the ballroom, I could still feel the vibrations ofmusic and chatter coming up from the carpeted floor, tingling up my legs as I paced.

But strangely enough, the back of my head began to tingle, like little pops of electricity going offinside my head. I blinked, scratching my temple as static filled my mind, followed my silence.“Where are you?" Xander's voice came through my mind, clear and edged with frustration.

I blinked again, furrowing my brow as I turned to face my reflection in the vanity.

'l know you can hear me-'

'Get out of my head!" I said over the mind-link, adrenaline coursing through my skin as I lookedaround the room and then went to the window, standing to the side so no one below could see me.'We need to talk about this!"

'I need to process what you've told me, Alpha King,’ I said with a hint of sarcasm.

He was quiet for a moment, then a low chuckle filled the far recesses of my mind. We were able tomind-link because of the mark; I knew that for certain. What I didn't know was how to block himout. I retreated from the window and sat on the edge of the bed, gripping my knees.

“Where are you?" he repeated, but I shook my head, trying to will my mind to close whatever doorhe'd opened to me.

I'm in my room-"

'And where is that? This place is... huge.

"You're not coming up here—'

“Second or third floor, then?"

“Didn't my uncle kick you out of the party?’ There was silence again, but only for a moment. I couldfeel the smirk touching his lips from wherever he was

“Quite the opposite, actually. I'm rather fond of your mother, and that tall woman... Luna Maeve?"

I paled, glancing out the window once more before I rose from the bed and slipped a robe over mypajamas. It wasn't cold. It wasn't ever cold in Avondale, but a chill ran through my body nonetheless.'What did you say to them?"

“Nothing about us, he said, and I could tell he meant it. His voice caught, almost like he wasdisappointed. “That wouldn't have been fair

“Like you know anything about fair, Xander." I walked to the door and flipped off the light, shroudingmyself in darkness.

Xander's voice ceased to tickle the recesses of mind, fading into the darkness.

But then there was a knock on my door.

I turned my head sharply toward the barrier, noticing I'd left it unlocked. I threw myself at the dooras it opened, but Xander wasn't the man who walked through the threshold.

I'd been trying to launch myself into the door to prevent it from opening, and I would have beensuccessful had I moved just one second sooner.

I tackled Oliver, throwing my full weight against him, which sent us spilling into the hallway. Heyelped in surprise as the back of his head hit the floor.

“I'm sorry!" I cried, my robe caught on the royal broaches lining his sash as I tried to roll off of him"Goddess, Lena! What the hell!" He reached up and unclasped the sash, and it dangled from myrobe and I stood up.

I towered over him, my face twisted in concern as he felt the back of his head and then looked forany traces of blood on his finger. He relaxed then, sighing deeply as he continued to lay on thefloor.

“Mom would've killed us both if we got blood on the carpet. They just refurbished this entire area.”"What are you doing up here?" I asked, reaching down to help him to his feet.

He straightened his tuxedo, then reached up to undo the tie he was wearing, loosening it from hisneck. "Hiding," he answered, a teasing grin on his face. “Just like you. Your mate is the talk of theparty now. Hollis isn't happy.” His grin grew a little wider at his ex-girlfriend's expense. He steppedpast me into my room and flipped on the light, then sat on the edge of my bed.

I stood in the doorway, searching his face.

"So, are you going to tell me what's going on?" he asked, tapping his fingers on his knee.

“It's none of your business—"

“It's about to be everyone's business,” he retorted, tilting his head.

I picked the sash from my robe, tossing it on a table near the door and walked inside, closing andlocking it behind me.

“What has he been saying?"

"Just explaining who he is,” Oliver said causally, examining his nails.

"And?"

“Introducing himself to the family"

“But what did he say, exactly?" I pleaded, which caused Oliver to shift his weight uncomfortably onthe bed.

“Well, he told your parents, and mine, where Egoren is, for one. Soren, you know-"

“W-what? As in—"

“Another realm,” Oliver said dramatically, wiggling his fingers with a smug look on his face.

“That can't be right"

“Your parents seemed to believe it, as did mine. No one batted an eyelash at it. Will was a littleskeptical. He asked him a bunch of questions before Mom told him to go tend to his betrothed,”Oliver sighed, arching his brows as he considered his next words, “but I think Will was morebothered by the fact every female eye in the room was fixed on your mate the second he walkedinto the party.”

I could have made a comment about Will. It probably would have lightened the mood, given theobvious rift between the two brothers. But I fixated on how Oliver had, for a second time, calledXander my mate.

"How did you know?" I asked, and he knew exactly what I was referring to.

He knitted his hands around one knee, leaning back a bit as he looked me up and down. “He toldme as much after you took off. It's true, isn't it?"

“Kind of-"

"He marked you, then.” Oliver's voice was suddenly grave, his eyes flashing with fury as he waitedfor me to say something like, “Xander forced me into it," or, “He did it against my will.”

“I marked him, too," I breathed, feeling a little lightheaded as I sank into the stool in front of thevanity.

"Why? You're not twenty-one-"

“You and I both know why," I whispered, looking into his eyes. Understanding flashed behind hiseyes as he chewed the inside of his cheek, nostrils flaring.

“Do you love him?"

I shifted my weight on the stool, crossing my legs.

“I did... do. But we ended things. Mutually.”

"You rejected each other?"

I thought of the mind-link and the way my mark was still searing the skin around it.

“Not totally,” I answered, stealing a glance in his direction.

“Well, you're going to have to marry him-"

"Why would you say that?"

“Because it's true. The second the family replaces out about it... when our grandfather replaces out aboutit"

“No one is going to replace out," I said sharply, my words cutting through the air like a knife.

Oliver arched his brow, then shook his head, rolling his eyes as he leaned back. “My parents invitedhim to stay here, at the palace, as a guest.”

“You're joking," I gasped, but he shook his head. “Why? He wasn't invited to the wedding!"

"He's a royal, Lena. Every Alpha is here. And, being the Alpha King of Egoren, well... My mom wantshim to meet Grandpa, you know."

I pursed my lips, tapping my foot in rhythm with the beating of my thundering heart. “What part ofthe palace is he staying in?"

“The western wing," Oliver shrugged, toying with the laces of his shiny black dress shoes. Oliver wasusually in sandals and denim shorts, and he looked unrecognizable with his curly hair brushed andgelled.

"What am I supposed to say to my parents, Oliver? I didn't think this through!"

“What were you thinking, Lena?"

“That I loved him. That he was the future I wanted-that I still want. And that was before I knew whohe was, and where he was from. I thought it was impossible then! Now, I... I'm supposed to beWhite Queen.”

“Yeah, well, so is Mom. But Grandma, well..." He smirked, his eyes glimmering with mirth. "Howmany times did she say she should've died at this point? She'll be on that throne until we're old andgray."

“Grandpa won't allow it." I smiled, my mouth twitching as I thought of him. He'd been a grumpy oldman all of his life, according to my aunt Maeve. He was in his prime now that he was in hisseventies.

“Well, I doubt my mom will let her step down. She doesn't want to leave Avondale, you know.""Have your parents ever discussed what that would look like, when she did have to go rule in WinterForest?"

Oliver exhaled, shrugging one shoulder.

“Will will likely rule as Alpha of Poldesse. Charlie doesn't want the title; he's happy in the navy.”"What about you?" I asked.

Oliver shrugged again, a wry smile touching his mouth. “I'm gonna just... explore. I've been thinkingof going to stay with George and Joy in New Dianny, actually. That whole continent is just... endless,untouched."

“Maybe I'll go with you," I grinned, but he gave me a funny look.

“You have to go back to Valoria after this. I thought that was the bargain you made with yourparents.”

"We'll see what happens,” I breathed, turning on the stool to face the mirror. I saw his brow furrowin the mirror's reflection and smiled softly to myself.

I had no desire, or plan, to go back to Valoria after the wedding.

And, I had no plan to go to Egoren with Xander, either.

"What are you plotting?” Oliver said with a sly grin.

"Nothing," I said, and it was only half the truth. I'd been looking at jobs in the far-flung packs thatrode the far western side of northern Findali for months now. I'd sent out a few letters but hadn'treceived a response, at least not yet. “So," I breathed, crossing my arms over my chest as I lookedup at Oliver, “how did things go with Abigail?"

He smiled shyly, rolling his eyes. But a faint blush colored his cheeks, and that was enough of ananswer for me.