Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder
Chapter 558

Chapter 58 : All Grown Up

*Xander*

I'd never seen so much pink in my life.

I felt a little nauseous as I walked through the throng of people gathered to witness the nuptials ofPrince William of the Isles and whoever the hell he was marrying. Pink flowers lined the walkwaythat wove through the tropical back garden of the palace, which would have been beautiful had itnot been tarnished by the bubblegum color streamers hanging from the palm trees.

People did comment on the absurd decorations, but nobody looked more uncomfortable than theLuna of Poldesse, who was looking just as green as I felt as she greeted the guests with a mask ofdignity and grace.

William hadn't been at the dinner the night before, and neither had his betrothed, and as dinnerprogressed and the wine was poured, it was painfully obvious to me that no one was particularlylooking forward to the marriage.

I'd heard the rumors, of course. It was hard not to after spending several months on campus inMorhan, where every girl had a marked obsession with the princes of Poldesse. Poor Prince Oliverwas jilted by his longtime lover, and now she was marrying his brother.

It made my complicated relationship with Lena look like a walk in the park.

Speaking of Lena, I hadn't seen or heard from her in the past twenty-four hours. I knew she wasavoiding me, especially since I'd been invited to stay at the palace until the wedding took place andhad accepted the invitation. I'd hoped to get her alone again by now to clear the air and patchthings up, but that seemed more and more unlikely as the day went on.

Now the guests were filling the aisles of white wrought-iron chairs woven with pink tulle, and Lenawas nowhere to be seen.

I lingered in the back, hoping to catch a glimpse of her before I took a seat but found myselfglancing toward the only shred of gold shimmer against the dense foliage and tower palms thatsheltered the garden. The palace was just visible as I turned around, watching as two figures movedbehind the foliage. If they were trying to stay hidden, well, they weren't doing a very good job.Curiosity got the best of me and I broke for the trees, nodding my hellos to the passing nobility ofwhatever the hell packs they came from as I walked briskly toward the palms.

I saw the glint of a glass bottle catch in the sun as I walked around the palms along a stonepathway, and I came face to face with Oliver and Charlie, who were standing out of view from theguests and leaning against the back wall of what looked like a pool house. Oliver paused with thebottle of bourbon in his hands, his eyes meeting mine before he lifted the bottle to his lips and tookthe longest, most deliberate swig I'd ever witnessed.

“You're going to throw up," Charlie said as he took the bottle from his brother, then tilted his headto me in greeting. Oliver wiped his mouth, his cheeks going ruddy as the alcohol burned throughhim.

“If you do, aim for the flutist," I said, giving both men a wry grin.

“Ears ringing too?" Charlie said with an arch of his brow.

I liked Charlie. He'd been at dinner that night before, and I found his company agreeable andenjoyable, which was rare. I was only a few years older than the triplet princes, and Charlie and Iwere both men of the world and had an awful lot in common.

Everyone had been kind, actually.

Oliver, on the other hand...

"What do you want?" he slurred, reaching for the bottle that Charlie was holding just out of hisreach.

“Entertainment,” I deadpanned, motioning for the bottle, which Charlie handed to me withouthesitation. I took a swig, but not nearly the amount that Oliver had just downed. He looked asthough he was maintaining his composure, at least.

The three of us stood in awkward silence for a moment before Oliver fixed his gaze on me, lookingme up and down.

"Have you seen Lena?" I asked.

Oliver narrowed his eyes, giving me a ferocious scowl. Charlie, ever amiable, shrugged and shookhis head.

“I've seen her like, twice, the entire time she's been back on the island,” Charlie said as I passed himback the bottle. He bent down and tucked it behind a rock, ruffling the leaves a bit to cover it lestsomeone walk by. “She keeps to herself."

"Oh"

“She's avoiding you," Oliver said sharply, pointing a finger at me.

“I'm sure she is,” I replied, which startled him a bit. “I did wrong by her. I'm here to make it right.”"Really?" Charlie chuckled, looking somewhat confused.

I'd talked to him for most of the dinner the night before, but not once had anyone mentionedLena's name. It wasn't for me to talk about, anyway. This was her family. This was her decision.

"He said she's his mate,” Oliver said hotly, but Charlie only seemed slightly amused as he looked atme with those familiar blue eyes-blue gems, sapphires. Oliver had one that color. He had hisfather's set of mismatched eyes, one blue, and one gray. The combination made Oliver look likesome unearthly being, especially with his red hair and the snarl plastered on his face as he looked atme.

“She is," I said slowly, beginning to raise my hands. “But we ended things—"

“She obviously doesn't want anything to do with you,” Oliver snapped, but Charlie held his hand up,his curiosity overwhelming whatever desire he had to protect his cousin's heart.

“She didn't know who I was, not fully. I need to talk to her. Where can I replace her now?"

“Well, the ceremony is starting any minute,” Charlie said, straightening up and smoothing histuxedo. He was dressed to the nines, whereas Oliver was wearing a loose-fitting button-up shirt,shorts, and sandals. He looked more like he was going to the beach than his brother's wedding.“The bride is running late. I assume Lena is with the other women, helping her dress, or whateverthey do during these things.” Charlie waved his hand in dismissal.

“In the palace?" I asked, taking a step to the side to take my leave.

Charlie nodded, but Oliver straightened to his full height, his chest puffing out like he was readyingfor a fight.

I could take him. All of the princes were strong, built like workhorses just like their father. I doubtedOliver had done much combat training, however. I'd have him on his belly the second he lunged atme.

I eyed him, nostrils flaring as I silently willed him to try.

“Would you relax?" Charlie hissed at his brother.

“Leave Lena alone,” Oliver growled. I realized then, based on the look of pure, unadulterated hatredtoward me in his eyes, that Oliver might know the whole truth about us. I'd wondered if Lena had aclose familial confidant, and that was definitely Oliver.

“I will,” I said, taking another step backward, “once I have a moment to talk to her-"

"Hey!" Oliver snapped as I turned on my heel and walked briskly toward the palace.

I heard Charlie mumbling at him, telling him to calm down.

I walked along the side of the palace where guests were mingling in small groups, standing in theshade while they waited for the wedding to begin. No one seemed to notice when I rattled a fewside doors to the palace, eventually replaceing one unlocked, and slipped inside.

*Lena*®

The red dress fit like a glove. I ran my fingers over it as I stood in front of the full length mirror in myroom, my mom looping the crimson pearl buttons up my back.

“It's beautiful,” she breathed, her eyes twinkling as they met mine in the mirror. “This color isincredible on you."

“I thought the wedding was taking place in the cathedral,” I murmured, unable to hide the colorrising in my cheeks. “It feels too formal for a garden wedding."

“It was a last-minute change. Your aunt is... Maeve told me she's taking a long vacation after this isall said and done,” Mom said with a wry smile, walking around to look at the front of the dress. Shefluffled the sleeves and smoothed the fabric over the bodice as I held my arms out for her. “Justlovely, Lena. I'd never thought of a cut like this for you. It suits your body so-so well"

Her eyes were watering as I looked up at her. She was starting to cry.

“Mom?”

She smiled, shaking her head. “I'm fine. You're just so... so grown up now, is all. A graduate, with amate—"

“Maybe a mate,” I murmured, sighing through my nose. “Xander and I have a lot we need to discuss,and not about... not about us, really. More about his lies."

“Well, you attended Morhan under an alias. He was just doing the same—"

“He knew who I was from the beginning, and he kept that from me because he was looking forsomeone from the White Queen line to take as a wife," I said hotly, adjusting my voluminous hair inthe mirror.

"Well," Mom said, pursing her lips, “if you love him-"

“We have to consider more than love, as royals."

She gave me an odd look, some pain lingering behind her eyes as she took a step back to allow meto twirl my skirts.

“Especially now that I'm to go to Winter Forest-"

The door burst open, bouncing off the wall. Maeve caught it, looking rather frazzled as she steppedinto the room. Her cheeks were flaming a deep fuschia.

“Goddess, Maeve, what's the matter?"

“Hollis,” Maeve said hotly, “wants alterations done to her dress, and we're nearly an hour late for theceremony already! I need your help, Hanna. I know you can sew.”

"Sew? Now? What kind of alterations?” Mom gathered up her skirts and began to walk toward thedoor. Maeve's eyes flicked to me, then she turned to face me fully, sucking in her breath.

"Oh, my Goddess. You are a vision," she said, some of the heated color leaving her face. She smiled,her brows raised as she took what looked like the first deep breath she'd taken all day.

Mom placed a hand on Maeve's shoulder as both women looked lovingly at me, their eyes mistingwith tears.

“Stop,” I murmured, blushing furiously as they continued to stare.

"I feel like she was just born," Maeve said, her voice cracking with emotion. Mom's tight, painedsmile told me she was thinking the exact same thing. “Look at our girl, Hanna."

“You're going to make me cry," I whispered, “and I just fixed my makeup.”

Maeve hiccuped, then took my mom's hand, and the two walked out into the hallway, talking in lowwhispers as they walked away.

I looked at my reflection in the mirror for a moment, fluffing my hair and running a finger under mybottom lashes to stop a rogue tear from spilling down my powdered cheeks. I looked aflame, likehot embers burning in the snow.

“You're beautiful,” came a low, rasping voice from the doorway.

My heart nearly burst out of my chest as I turned to the voice.