Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 12: A Trip to the Village

♦Lena*

It'd been three days since the attack, or murder, whatever it was being called. The Alpha of Crimson

Creek had sent warriors to investigate. They'd taken away the body, swept the perimeter of the

Radcliffe Estate... but that was it. No one said much about it, in fact, after a full day had passed. The

only person who had given US any useful information had been Henry.

But Henry was a man of few words, and he didn't speculate. He'd told me what I already knew from

Abigail-that Carly Maddox had been a Morhan student whose field study was situated in the village of

Crimson Creek. According to a single witness, she had just walked out one day, leaving the shabby

townhouse she shared with four other students and walked into the night, never to be seen again.

But the fact that she was, in fact, never seen again, was what was most interesting about what Henry

had to say. He told Xander and me that several young women had been killed over the past five years,

but they had always been found not far from where the attack happened.

"So we're dealing with a serial killer," I said, pacing in front of the makeshift lab Xander had erected in

the warehouse. He was bent at the waist, peering into a microscope as he examined a slide with the

sample of blackened, rotted valerian root I had harvested earlier in the morning.

"We’re not dealing with anything, Lena,' he protested gruffly, furrowing his brow in my direction as he

straightened to his full height. "We're here for school. That’s it-"

"But don't you want to know, Xander? Something weird is happening here!"

"It's none of our business-"

"One of the workers was attacked and killed!"

"Lena," he breathed, taking his gloves off and tossing them in a wastebasket. "Leave it alone."

I rolled my eyes and stalked away from him, glancing over my shoulder before I left the warehouse. He

was writing on a clipboard, totally uninteresting in discussing what I believed to be a huge deal.

But I knew it was bothering him. I'd gotten my original wish. We were no longer sharing a bed because

he'd taken to sitting in the armchair, facing the door, with an iron skillet in his lap every night in the

event he needed to protect US from whatever was lurking outside.

We hadn't said a word about what had happened between US, either, for which I was grateful.

I'd been overwhelmed and blinded by a heavy haze of lust, ready to lose my virginity to a man I neither

knew well nor liked very much, only to be snapped back to reality by someone getting torn to shreds

not even a mile from our cottage.

I felt awful about it. But also completely unsatisfied.

I swallowed against the lump in my throat as I walked to the bunkhouse. It was nearing lunch, and

Bethany had asked me to sit with her and eat something before we went back out to tend the lower

gardens. I was thankful for a respite from my conflicting feelings as I stepped through the door and

removed my boots.

But I wasn't getting away from it that easily, I quickly realized. Elaine and Bethany were sitting at the

dining room table when I arrived and had a plate laid out for me-and questions.

"How long have you known him?" Elaine asked as I bit into an apple.

I shrugged, chewing slowly in hopes the conversation would move past the subject of Xander. He was

the only thing anyone wanted to talk about after what had happened.

"Like, a week, honestly," I said cooly, sipping my glass of root beer. Elaine rolled her eyes at Bethany,

who fixed me with a knowing stare.

"Jen is in love with him," Elaine said, leaning back in her chair. 'She wants nothing more than to jump

his bones after watching him take command of the, uhm, situation the other night."

"Elaine, we're not talking about that until we hear something concrete from the Alpha, after his

investigation. Radcliffe's orders." Bethany looked exhausted. She'd likely been fielding questions about

what had happened for the past several days.

"I know, I know," Elaine replied, waving her hand in dismissal. "Anyway, Jen is really hoping he's

coming to the party tonight, at the pub. I told her not to get her hopes up-"

"What party?’ I asked, feeling incredibly territorial over Xander, even though I had no reason to feel that

way. What had happened between US hadn't been more than a kiss, right?

"Some of the workers are going to the village tonight to drink at the pub. It's not really a party," Bethany

shrugged, shaking her head, “unless you like warm beer and old men with missing teeth hitting on you.

They go most Fridays."

"I’m going," Elaine quipped, nudging my arm. "You should come!"

"Sure," I breathed, even though inside I was on fire with jealousy.

Jen would, no doubt, seek out Xander and ask him to go with her. I found it unlikely he' d accept, but

there was still a chance I'd be wrong. And despite the fact that I knew in my soul nothing further should

happen between Xander and me, I hated the idea of him being with anyone else, especially Jen.

I had no reason to dislike her, though. She hadn't done anything to me. She'd just been in Xander's line

of sight, and I hated it.

So, when Elaine pulled up in front of the cottage in a run-down car later that evening, its mint-colored

paint covered in large splotches of rust, I decided it was time to confide in someone. I needed someone

to help me unravel my intense feelings. Otherwise, they'd take over completely.

"The front doors don't open!" she hollered as I walked up. 'You have to climb in through the backdoor!"

"How'd you get in?" I laughed, yanking open the back door with an audible crunch and tossing my

purse inside.

"Same as you," she giggled as I struggled to climb over the center console. I grunted with effort, nearly

upside down as I tried to get my legs out from under me. I wiped my brow and adjusted my weight in

my seat, reaching back for the seatbelt, which I found was not there.

"I won’t crash. Don't worry. At least not today. It's not in the cards!"

"You're wild, Elaine," I laughed, slightly panicked as the car lurched forward several times before the

clutch gave way, and she was able to put it in gear. "Where's everyone else?"

"I don’t really like anyone else, besides you and Bethany. I pretended like I wasn't going so they

couldn't use me for my car. They're all piled in the back of the farm truck-’

Something slammed into the back window of the car and we both screamed.

"Sorry," Xander mumbled, wrenching open the back door and sliding inside. Elaine and I looked at

each other, both slightly red in the face. "I missed the truck."

"Jen will be severely disappointed," Elaine teased, fumbling with the clutch once more. "I thought I'd

just ran someone over, Xander!"

"This thing would've just rolled right over the top of me," he huffed, stretching his arms out over the

back of the seat. "I didn't mean to smack the window so hard."

"It's fine," she drawled, tapping her hands on the steering wheel as we bounced over the uneven dirt

road toward the forest. "Happy to drive you."

"Can you hand me my purse?" I asked, looking over my shoulder at Xander.

He met my eye for a moment, which was honestly the first time we'd made true eye contact since the

night of the murder. He handed me my purse without breaking his gaze, which was slightly unnerving,

but I stifled the ripple of heat his stare was eliciting and opened my purse, fishing around for the tube of

lipstick rolling around at the bottom.

"There's no mirror on the vizor. You'll have to wing it," Elaine laughed as we drove out of the forest and

across the bridge.

The village of Crimson Creek came into view, rising in the distance against a vivid sunset. I quickly put

on the lipstick, which was a warm peach color, and put it back in my bag. I could feel Xander's eyes on

the back of my neck and was a little irritated he had interrupted the one opportunity rd had with Elaine,

alone, to talk about him.

He hadn't said anything in response to Elaine's comment about Jen, though. That had to count for

something.

It was a short ride into town, and soon we were pulling to a stop in front of a tavern.

"There’s a hotel, over there-' Elaine pointed in the distance, and I could see the farm truck parked

outside the hotel's entrance. "Bethany got US a few rooms, but she's driving back tonight if you don't

want to stay in the village this weekend."

"That was kind of her," I said, then we both looked back at Xander, who was staring back at US.

"What?" he said, arching his brow as he looked at Elaine, then me.

"The front doors don't open. We have to climb out," Elaine said, motioning toward the back door.

"Really?" he asked, looking skeptical.

"Move, Xander!" I urged, and he nodded, giving US both a dubious look as he slid out of his seat.

Elaine went first, climbing over the center console in a practiced fashion. I, on the other hand, struggled

significantly and to the point that Xander groaned with frustration and bent his head to reenter the car,

pulling me over the front seat with his hands clasped firmly under my armpits.

I squirmed against his touch, turning a deep shade of fuchsia as he yanked me out of the car.

"Stop, stop!" I said breathlessly, swatting him with my purse.

"What’s wrong with you?" he asked, reaching down to push a lock of hair away from my eyes.

"That tickled. I'm-I'm ticklish," I breathed.

He was looking into my eyes, and I noticed the hint of a smile touching the corner of his mouth.

Elaine cleared her throat, her hands on her hips as she watched US.

Xander's demeanor changed abruptly.

"Get a new car, Elaine,' Xander said grouchily, abruptly turning on his heel as he walked into the bar,

leaving US standing outside on the curb.

"He's great fun,' Elaine said curtly, giving me a lopsided, teasing smile. "I think he likes you."

"He doesn't," I sighed, adjusting my purse strap.

"Why do you say that?' Elaine held the door to the bar open for me as we stepped inside.

I shrugged, deciding maybe I wasn't all that ready to speak my true, conflicting feelings, and I most

definitely didn't want to talk about the whole Slate situation.

Thankfully, I didn't need to answer. Elaine waved at someone across the bar and linked her arm in

mine. We passed through the crowded tavern, which was filled with a surprisingly young mix of people.

There were a few older men, just like Bethany had said, but they were lounging in a corner table

chatting amiably with each other.

Everyone else seemed to be around my age; college students, or farm workers. Elaine seemed to

know practically everyone in the room, and I realized how I knew nothing about her or where she came

from. Based on how many people she recognized, she very likely could be a local of Crimson Creek.

Elaine processed the medicinal plants for Radcliffe, turning them into salves and tinctures, but that was

all I really knew about her.

"Everyone, this is Lena. She's a Morhan student working at Radcliffe this fall," she said, beaming as

she pulled me beside her. Four or five people stared at me, nodding in greeting.

One man, in particular, gave me the kindest greeting of all. He was tall, though not as tall as Xander,

but still towered above my short frame. He was tan, with dark curly and shockingly amber colored eyes

that sent a thrill through me as they met mine.

"What are you studying, Lena?" he asked, bringing a pint of beer to his lips. Elaine excused herself,

mumbling something about grabbing US a few drinks.

"Botany," I said, my stomach fluttering a bit as he considered this.

"I'm Ben, one of Elaine's friends. I live a few miles away from Radcliffe."

"Oh, you live here, in Crimson Creek?"

"Within the territory, yeah, but my family owns its own property not far from the village. Where are you

from?"

"Oh, the east," I said hurriedly, glancing through the crowd as Elaine's auburn curls made their way up

to the bar.

"So, school brought you out here, then? Are you the only Morhan student?"

"No, uhm, my study partner is here as well. He's studying chemistry and pharmaceuticals."

"That tall guy staring right at me, right now, I presume?" Ben smirked, his eyes flicking away from mine

and settling for a moment on the other end of the bar.

I exhaled and slowly turned my head in the direction Ben was staring. Xander was looking right at US.

"That's him," I sighed, glaring at Xander before turning my attention back to Ben.

"Is he going to beat me up if I buy you a drink?"

Ben's eyes met mine again, and I shrugged.

"There's only one way to find out!"