Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder
Chapter 626

Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder Chapter 626

Chapter 126 : No Time for Ghosts

*Xander*

Adrian was sitting at a makeshift desk made of pallets and wooden crates in the corner of my tent,his back arched as he looked down at a stack of documents that had been delivered to the tent thismorning. He blew out his breath, straightening to his full height as he turned around with his handson his hips.

“What are you going to say?”

“I don't know,” I replied, stooping to finish tying the laces of my boots. The worst of my injuries hadhealed, and I'd had my sutures taken out three days ago. My body was still stiff and sore, butotherwise, I was on the mend.

But I was still numb from Lena's loss. The jagged scar running from my shoulder to my collarbonewas red and bruised from the trauma of having her mark cut out of me, and then sewn shut.

She was gone, and I was still alive. I had no interest in living, and had I not been an Alpha I mayhave done something about that, but I had warriors to bring home, and a kingdom to rule.

I'd rule it alone, leaving no heir behind, no legacy.

“But this—"

“It's nothing, Adrian. It's not a big deal.”

But it was a big deal, despite my attempts to shrug off the request of the Alphas of Lena's lands andthe High Elder Council that helped mediate conflicts between the territories. They were asking forsomeone from Egoren to serve on the elder council, someone who would be willing to split theirtime between Egoren and the pack lands.

Ethan had included a personal note, requesting one man in particular-his half-brother.

I doubted Soren would be willing to do that. He had a life in Egoren-a family, and grandchildren.Hell, if I really wanted to off myself now, one of those kids could take over Egoren.

The thought fluttered in and out of my mind before I could blink, and I went back to gettingdressed. Adrian rocked on his heels, turning away as I pulled a clean shirt over my head.

"Where's Abigail?” I asked, and he turned back around, a sly grin on his face.

“She's running some errands before we leave, sending some letters.”

I nodded as I ran my fingers through my hair, ruffling the black curls dancing around my ears. Ineeded a haircut. I needed to shave. But all of that could wait until our warriors were on the warshiptaking us back to the portal to Egoren. We'd be leaving first thing in the morning, before the suncame up. I was more than ready to leave this realm and never look back.

Everything here reminded me of Lena. I hated it. I needed to leave.

I'd barely seen her family during the past week. Some of the royals had already returned to theirterritories, leaving behind their ambassadors to help with the cleanup in Breles and to oversee theresettlement of the displaced communities in the west. Everything south of the northern border wasin shambles. Hundreds of thousands of people had no homes to go home to. I felt a pang of guilt atthe thought of leaving behind such a mess, but I pushed it away, focusing on the task at hand.

"Are you going to sign it?” Adrian asked, jabbing a thumb toward the treaty on the desk.

I shrugged a shoulder, then shook my head. “I need to think about it. I found it unlikely we'll evercome back here, Adrian.”

Adrian's eyes darkened for a moment, but he nodded nonetheless. We hadn't talked about Lena,but I knew Abigail was devastated.

“Make sure everyone reports to their tents tonight by 10:00 pm sharp. Whoever isn't on the ship by5:00 am gets left behind,” I said, sounding every ounce the Alpha that I was expected to be-noemotion, all business. It would stay that way. I would stay that way.

“Where are you going?”

“Out,” I replied before slipping through the tent flap. I was actually going to replace a bottle of whiskeyI could drown my sorrows in again, like I had for the past several nights in a row, unable to sleep. If Idid sleep, it was nothing but nightmares, and based on the wailing and whimpering that eruptedfrom the sprawling war camp near the port of Breles, I wasn't the only one reeling from thedevastation this war had caused.

I walked for a while, my hands tucked in my pockets. I caught a glimpse of Troy as he walked into acommander's tent, his head bent as he talked rapidly to a man I didn't recognize. He'd sent his wifeback to the isles, kicking and screaming of course, and had stayed behind to help with therestoration of Breles. His eyes flicked up to mine before he disappeared into the tent, his expressionsoftening as he gave me a gentle nod.

I'd miss Troy. I liked the man from the moment I met him. I'd miss his sons, too, especially Oliver.But I hadn't seen Oliver since he explained how he'd closed the portal. Last I heard, he was back inCrimson Creek. I doubted he had plans to return to Breles, or anywhere else for that matter. I didn'tblame him. I saw the pain in his empty eyes. I knew exactly what he was going through.

He could run away. I couldn't. And sometimes, I was angry at him because of that.

I'd reached the dining tent, which was wide and shallow and full of warriors from every territory. Iglanced at a few Egoren warriors who were seated at a table, mouthing “5:00 am” and tapping mywrist before I passed the tent completely. They nodded, their darkened eyes lined with fatigue. Ineeded to get them home, back to their families. I could grieve afterward. I had the rest of my life tolive with regret.

There was something the warriors called the “fence” near the edge of the camp. It wasn't actually afence, but a darkened alley where warriors traded their meal and shower rations for bottles ofbooze, magazines, and cigarettes. I was a regular now, I realized. The empty bottles of whiskeycollecting dust under the cot in my tent was proof enough.

I turned my head to the sound of a building creaking in the distance, a chunk of concrete fallinginto a nearby, but thankfully cleared out, market square. I saw a flash of white and stopped in mytracks, my heart leaping into my throat.

I'd seen her around the camp many times. She'd been in my tent, stepping out of the shadows andrunning her fingertips over my skin. But she was just a ghost, disappearing every time I got near.

I turned away from her, stuffing my hands deeper into my pockets as I picked up my pace. I knewLena would haunt me for the rest of my life. I knew I would see her every time I looked up at thestars. I knew, during one of those lucky, infrequent nights, that I would see her again, but only in mydreams.

“Xander!”

“Not now,” I breathed, closing my eyes against her voice. My head was throbbing from thehangover I was nursing. I had no time for ghosts. I licked my lower lip as I neared the fence. I couldalready taste the liquor, and could already feel myself going numb. One drink would be enough towash the sound of her voice from my mind.

“Xander, slow down-"

A hand wrapped around my upper arm and I whirled around, grabbing its owner by the shouldersand shaking them.

"Don't f*****g touch"

"X-Xander?" Lena whispered, taking a step away from me and hugging herself with her arms. Shewas wearing a white, sleeveless top, and I could see the red marks I'd left on her skin. She lookedreal. She'd felt real

"Oh-" It was all I managed to say before I reached out and clutched her to my chest. I fought forbreath, the air coming out of my lungs in choked sobs as she wrapped her arms around me andsqueezed. Between us the swell of her stomach pushed against the button of my jeans, the metalpressing into my skin.

She was here. They were both here.

“I'm sorry,” she sobbed, her tears soaking through my shirt. She had nothing to apologize for. Shedidn't owe me anything, whereas I owed her the world, and then some.

I felt suddenly idiotic as I ran my fingers through her hair, continuing to clutch her to my chest. I'dspent the last two weeks pining, wallowing away in an indescribable grief only to numb myself withalcohol to try to take the edge off.

What had she been doing in the meantime? What had she done, or sacrificed, to be back here, withme?

I thought of Rowan, the way his eyes betrayed his calm, calculated reserve during the week beforehe left for Valoria to assess the situation with the refugees there. He'd been shattered by her loss.“Your parents aren't here,” I said against her hair, taking the first deep breath I'd taken in weeks. Shehad her arms wrapped around my waist with no hint of letting go anytime soon. “But your uncle is,and your aunt Kacidra has been assisting with surgeries—"

“Just give me a minute,” she breathed calmly.

I felt her eyelashes flutter against my shirt as she sighed, her sobs ceasing. When she finally lookedup at me, I noticed something strange, and I reared back a little to get a better view of her eyes. Theusually unearthly pale silver of her irises, normally flaked with blue like her father's, were different,bluer in hue than they had been before. Her hair as well wasn't the starch white I was accustomedto. It looked more golden in the sunlight, still pale but definitely more blonde, almost like it hadbeen when I started to see her around campus.

"What happened?” I asked, running my thumb across her cheek as I wiped away her tears.

“I gave something up,” she whispered, “so I could come home.”

"What did you give up?” I asked slowly, anxiety creeping up my spine. I laid a hand on the side ofher belly, and the baby within gave a little kick in response to my touch

“I gave my powers back to the Night God,” she said, matter-of-factly, like that revelation wouldn'tshake me to the core. “But-" she pulled away from me, yanking on a chain around her neck until ayellow gem slipped free of her shirt and settled in her hand. “When I'm ready, all I have to do is askfor them back.”

“Your powers—"

“I'm still a wolf, and still a White Queen,” she said with a soft smile, tucking the gem back into hershirt. “But clover won't spring up between the floorboards when I'm upset, and I can't create anymore portals. Not unless I really want to.”

I let my breath out in a sigh, oddly relieved to hear it. I gathered her in my arms again for amoment.

“What were you doing all the way out here at the edge of the camp?”

I licked my lips, the taste of last night's whiskey still clinging to my teeth despite brushing themseveral times.

“Nothing,” I murmured, turning her around with my arm draped around her shoulder. “Are youhungry?”