Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 32 : The Chaos has Started

My heart raced as my fingers slipped on the box lid. I couldn't get it open fast enough. All I could think was that

when I opened this box, I'd have the answers to save Miltern pack.

As soon as the light from Soren's room dipped into the box and revealed what was inside, my heart sank like a

stone and I scrunched up my face.

“What is it?" Soren asked, peering over my shoulder.

“A feather, a book, and a rolled-up piece of parchment." I listed the items.

What was I supposed to do with any of that?

The book didn't have a title or anything. It was just an old leather-bound journal from the looks of it. The rolled-up

parchment was tied with a black string.

I tipped the box toward Soren so he could get a better look.

His eyebrows shot into his hairline.

“That's the feather of justice," he said, pointing to the feather.

I looked over the feather again. It wasn't anything special. At a glance, I couldn't tell what kind of bird it came from.

It was white with some fluffy down at the base and it curved in an unusual angle for a feather.

“The feather of justice?" I asked.

“It is a pack artifact. Supposedly, it is a feather from the Moon Goddess's arrow," Soren explained.

I creased my brow. It all sounded like fairy tales to me.

“If it is an artifact, does it have some special significance or use?" I questioned.

“All artifacts are special for a reason. The pack artifacts tend to have specific powers or uses," Soren explained.

“I wonder… what's it used for?" I searched Soren's face.

He was still staring at the feather. It seemed like the last thing he expected to uncover in the box. If anything, he

seemed almost disturbed to find a pack artifact in such an unusual place.

Soren shook his head and sighed.

“There isn't a lot of documentation on artifacts. Most of what exists describe them but not what they do. There is so

much myth and legend around artifacts, I don't think anyone has fully documented what they can do. And a lot of

what is written is… exaggerated," he said.

“Is that a nice way of saying it is all bullshit?"

Soren chuckled. “I've read plenty about pack artifacts. A lot of it seems unbelievable and I have rarely seen an

artifact live up to the legends written about it."

I picked the feather up and it thrummed in my hand. There was power in that feather. How I could access it or use

it, I had no idea!

Setting the feather back in the box, I looked at the book and the rolled-up parchment. As disappointed as I was

when I first saw them, the answers could have been hidden inside. I would need time to examine them.

Soren was still looking at the items in the box. He hadn't tried to pick any of them up or hold them.

I wondered why that was. Maybe he was being respectful toward me and letting me take my time. He could have

wanted me to be the first one to examine them.

I chewed on my lower lip. Did I want to examine them with Soren looking over my shoulder? I didn't know what

answers I would find and I wasn't sure I wanted him to see those answers yet.

Those documents could tell me a lot more about myself, my family, and my witch heritage. There was a part of me

that wanted to get those answers and process them without an audience.

I'd already had one breakdown in front of Soren recently, I really didn't want to have another.

Could I ask him for privacy? He'd just helped me open the box. He had a right to see what was inside. If I asked him

for privacy, he might get offended or use that as an excuse to impose further. He did like to turn things around on

me.

But if I let him see what was inside and it turned out to be valuable, like a pack artifact, what was to stop him from

taking these things from me? If he was like any of the other people I'd tangled with, there was a good chance he

might do just that.

It was a risk I couldn't take.

In my heart, I knew I wasn't ready to share these things with him. But if I told him that, he'd probably accuse me of

being closed off and come up with reasons why he should see them.

I swallowed, gathering my courage to ask for privacy.

Soren grunted and turned away from the box. He grabbed a jacket off the bed and slipped it on.

“I'm going out for a drink," he said.

“You are?" I asked, arching an eyebrow. “N-now?"

Why did he suddenly want to rush off? He'd been so interested in the feather and was just staring into the box,

mesmerized.

“Yeah, I'm parched. Stay here, and stay inside out of harm's way. If you need anything, get Payne and he'll come

get me, alright?" he asked.

He headed toward the door.

“Um… okay," I said softly.

I was relieved he wasn't going to be pushy about seeing what was in the box but there was a part of me that was

disappointed, too. I almost wanted him to stay while I examined things because I was a little concerned about what

I was going to find.

“Is that okay?" Soren asked, glancing over his shoulder at me.

“Yes," I said with a sharp nod. “I can stay alone in a hotel room for a while without getting into trouble."

Soren chuckled. “I'll believe that when I see it."

I smiled gratefully at him, conveying my thanks for the respect he was showing me.

He wasn't leaving because he was thirsty and he wasn't leaving because he had no interest in the items. He was

leaving because he wanted to give me space and privacy to understand why these things had come to me.

I felt a little guilty for suspecting him and comparing him to other people I'd had dealings with.

The more I got to know him, the more I realized Soren wasn't like that at all.

Was that what kept drawing me to him?

He was the first person I'd met that showed me respect and kindness. Not to mention, smoking hot!

I shook my head to get rid of those thoughts.

If nothing else, I appreciated him more. He'd helped me open the box and hadn't demanded anything in return.

My heart swelled and I was starting to understand why he was so popular in the rogue zone and why all his people

were so loyal and called him “boss." Soren had the charm and natural leadership skills that attracted others to him.

He made them feel like when they put their trust in him, they were safe, secure, and respected.

I was starting to feel that from him too.

Why would someone with such natural leadership skills and an ability to charm others choose to live as a rogue?

Why not have his own pack?

He had all the makings of an alpha.

Questions about who Soren really was and about his past swam in my mind.

The hotel door clicked shut and I snapped out of my trance.

Questions about Soren could wait. I had more pressing matters.

I made myself comfortable at the table in Soren's room. Taking the feather out of the box, I set it aside. The feather

was unusually heavy and I noticed that it didn't flutter or threaten to blow away as I moved the other items around.

I took the journal out and the rolled-up parchment, laying them side by side on the table.

Curiosity about the journal got me first. If it was written by someone that was connected to me somehow, it could

answer a lot of questions.

I untied the leather knot that held the journal closed and flipped open to the first page. It was covered in small lines

and dashes.

“Ugh!" I groaned. It was the same language on the tombstone and box.

Of course, the journal would be useless without Soren.

I glanced out the window at the moon.

“Very funny," I mumbled.

Was this some kind of instant karma because I'd wanted Soren to leave me to examine these things alone?

I flipped through several more pages wondering if any of it was written in a language I could read.

It wasn't. The entire thing was written in the same script.

I noticed that several of the pages had what looked like headings or titles. In the margins, there were drawings of

plants, stones, and different tools, like a mortar and pestle or a knife.

A lot of the pages had bullet points that could have been lists of ingredients or instructions.

Maybe it was an ancient spell book. Either that or a really complex cookbook.

Unfortunately, without Soren's help, the book would be useless to me right now. I could chase after him, he hadn't

been gone long, or go to Payne.

Instead, I pushed the journal aside and picked up the rolled-up parchment. I could get Soren's help with the book

later. It wasn't like it was going anywhere.

I untied the thread around the parchment and unrolled it on the table. There was another piece of paper inside,

folded up tightly. I set the folded parchment aside and looked at the one I'd unrolled.

It was a letter and I was relieved to see it was written in a language I understood.

“Huh," I muttered, examining the script.

The handwriting seemed familiar somehow. It was like something I'd seen in a dream or as a child. I couldn't place

the memory so I read the letter.

'Helen,

The chaos has started. We can't stop them all and they are coming after it. If it falls into the wrong hands… well,

you know as well as I.

Kaleb and I decided to break it down and scatter the parts. We'll hide them in places no one else will think to look.

Never again must the pieces be reunited or this chaos will never end.

I hope there will never come a time when it is needed or used for such dark, sinister purposes.

The other night, I had a dream about Miltern pack… I hope it was just me overthinking and not a prophecy…

Please, get yourself somewhere safe.

May the Feather of Justice bring you what you need.

Peace be with you, my dear friend. I fear we may not meet again, so I will leave the secrets in your hands, lest our

enemies try and steal them from me.

All my love,

Jessica'

The letter was vague but when I was done, my heart thudded in my chest. What had happened to Jessica and

Kaleb? Had their enemies caught up to them?

Paralyzing fear gripped my chest as I thought about all the things she alluded to yet didn't describe. She'd taken

measures so that no one would ever learn about what she'd done, the pieces she'd hidden.

The pieces of what… I didn't know.

I picked up the folded parchment and laid it flat on the table next to the letter. Gasping, I covered my mouth, my

heart pounding even heavier.

It was a map… and based on the letter, I thought I could guess what the map led to.