Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 43 : I Would Have my Revenge

Sticking to the shadows, I made my way back. I hid behind a tent and saw that Payne, Ashley, and the others had

been ambushed. They were both in restraints and most of Soren's other men were being restrained and held back.

“We don't know who the hell you're talking about!" Payne shouted. “It is just us. We don't know any witches and we

haven't seen one!"

“Me?" I gasped, covering my mouth.

These men were after me!

Payne must have been trying to convince them I wasn't around because they hadn't seen me. I guess my walk in

the desert had been a good thing… unless Soren's friends got hurt because of it.

Normally, they'd have no problem fighting off attackers but this group was highly trained. The kind of organized

military force that only a strong alpha could afford and maintain.

If I backed away and snuck off into the shadows, they could search the camp all they wanted and they'd never find

me. Hopefully, they'd leave Payne, Ashley, and the others in peace if they realized I wasn't there.

“Is that so?" the leader asked, pointing a spear at Payne's chin.

He snapped his fingers and two of his strongest guards pounced on Ashley. She spit and hissed as they pulled her

back and restrained her.

“Well, this b***h will do just fine for now. When you find that little witch, you can exchange her for your sister," the

leader said, pressing the tip of his spear harder into Payne's neck.

My heart hammered in my chest. I couldn't let Ashley get hurt, not on my account.

“What the hell are you talking about?" Ashley snarled, struggling against her captors. “We don't know who you're

talking about and we definitely don't know any witches. They're a myth!"

“Shut up!" one of the men snapped. He threw Ashley on the ground.

The guards that had taken her hostage began kicking and beating her.

Payne winced but he didn't move toward her. The spear tip still at his throat. The others couldn't move either. They

were powerless to help Ashley.

“Where is she!?" the leader demanded.

“W-we don't know any-anything," Ashley sputtered from the ground. She coughed up blood. Her skin and clothes

were covered in sand and bloody smears.

After all that, she still didn't give up my location. I knew she didn't like me but she was showing true loyalty and she

was trying to protect me.

The others might be powerless to save Ashley, but I wasn't!

I pulled my knife from my pack and tucked it into my pocket.

“Everyone lower your weapons," I said. I held my arms up and walked out from behind the tent.

The leader whipped around, pointing his spear at me.

“Oh, what do we have here? A redheaded woman?" he asked. He glared at Payne.

“Release Ashley and take me instead. I know I'm the one you're after," I said.

Ashley glared at me. “What the hell are you doing? Get out of here! No one asked you to come help me!"

I ignored her and looked at the leader. “Let her go or I will disappear into the darkness and you'll never find me."

The leader snapped his fingers and his soldiers let Ashley go. She scrambled back toward Payne.

“Come on, we've got to go," the leader said.

“Wait!"

I pulled the knife from my pocket and held it to my throat.

The leader froze and held his hands up to the other men.

“Release them, all of them, and let them leave in the Jeeps. I'm not going to let you kill them the moment I turn my

back," I insisted.

The leader glared at me.

“I know you want me alive!"

“Fine. Go, all of you. Get the hell out of here!" the leader snarled, waving to Payne and Ashley.

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His soldiers released all of Soren's men and they raced to the Jeeps. They all drove away quickly but Payne

hesitated before pulling away. I could tell he didn't want to leave me and he was badly injured.

We made eye contact and I nodded. He nodded back and drove away.

Something thunked on the back of my head and everything went black.

***

*Soren*

Thomas and I traversed the dangerous landscapes to the north of Miltern. The closest place where Helingred

flowers grew was north in the high-peaked, impassable mountains. This time of year, they were prone to random

flurries and high gusts of wind.

We clamored over the rocks, using our hands and feet to make our way through the difficult mountains.

“I think you're losing your mind," Thomas teased me. “I mean, can't this wait a couple of more months?"

I rolled my eyes and pulled myself over another rock. I had to climb up a high rock wall and I turned around,

offering my hand to Thomas.

He glared at my hand but he took it and I hauled him up the wall.

“Why wait? Howlingred will need blood regardless," I said.

“Of course it does… but at least, closer to the winter solstice, it won't need as much blood. During its regular

budding season, it won't require you to drain yourself dry," he reminded me.

“I'm not good at waiting," I grumbled.

“Don't I know it," Thomas scoffed, rolling his eyes.

We picked our way through the winding pathway. It was an animal trail which meant it was very narrow and in some

places, a sheer drop on the other side. And it was a long, long way down!

“Be honest, Soren, this is about Mila again, isn't it?" Thomas asked.

I glanced back at him. We had to walk single file.

“Are you trying to gossip with me? When did you become a schoolgirl?" I asked, arching an eyebrow.

“Look, you might not care, but I really don't want to be the one to tell your brother that you committed suicide in

order to save a random girl," Thomas told me, smirking.

I rolled my eyes. “Thomas, you don't have to worry about my brother."

“No. It is the White Queen's tears I don't want to deal with. And you know there will be a lot of them," he said.

I chuckled, burying the sore spot that was pricked at the mention of the White Queen.

“Shut the f**k up already. Why do you think I asked you to come with me?" I snarled.

Thomas groaned and I imagined him rolling his eyes.

I was on such a narrow strip of land I didn't want to risk looking back. I might lose my footing and go over.

“Because you need an audience to watch the show: Howlingred's Blood Bath by Soren Black," he said dramatically.

“And here I thought, after so many years, you might have grown up a little," I teased.

“Pfft. We wouldn't be friends if I grew up. This friendship only has room for one super-serious, brooding guy,"

Thomas chuckled.

“I'm not that serious," I defended. “Is that what people think of me?"

“Heh," Thomas chuckled. “You really haven't changed either… People here must be blind if they think you are

composed and serious."

I shrugged and shook my head. “I never asked them to think of me that way."

“No, but you didn't have to. I'm guessing all that brooding is borrowed from our White Queen," he said.

“Once upon a time," I muttered. I wasn't sure if the longing I had for Rosalie was really about her anymore or just a

longing not to be lonely anymore.

We reached the peak of the mountain where the Holwingred herb grew. Normally, when they were closer to

blooming, there were several bloodthirsty predators guarding them.

Venomous snakes that swallowed their prey whole, bats that drank blood, and other wild beasts that were excited

by the scent of blood and prospect of fresh meat.

“Here are some herbs with tiny buds. They'll be good," Thomas suggested, bending down over one.

“Right. You know that once I start bloodletting, the beasts will come," I reminded him.

Thomos shrugged. “Thot's why I'm here. To protect your sensitive little butt."

“I'll pick the flower ond then we get out of here," I soid.

“Got it," Soren ogreed.

I looked ot the plont ond stroked my chin. “Alright, let's get this done."

***

*Milo*

Grooning, I storted to come to. My heod wos bowed uncomfortobly. I could tell I wos sitting in o choir. My wrists

were bound behind my bock ond my onkles were tied to the choir.

I took o deep breoth through my nose, discovering thot there wos duct tope over my mouth.

Opening my eyes, I found myself in o norrow, dork room. My eyes odjusted quickly but I hod no ideo where I wos.

There were no scents or sounds thot gove owoy onything obout where I wos.

Immediotely, I storted wiggling my wrists in the ropes, trying to get loose. I tested the ropes for weok spots ond

kept trying to loosen them, even if just o little.

“Ahh, you're owoke, ond much sooner thon I onticipoted," o rough voice soid from behind me, o hint of surprise in

his voice.

I swollowed hord ond glonced over my shoulder ond I kept working my wrists, trying to free them.

The more I tried to fight, the weoker I felt. My orms were like rubber ond I didn't hove much strength left ot oll. Hod

they drugged me or wos thot becouse of the Blockfire poison ogoin? It olwoys flored up ot the worst times!

“Whot, nothing to soy?" the mon osked.

He wos intimidoting, filling up the doorwoy behind him. I could see thot the door wos closed, probobly locked too.

He hod shodows over his foce so I couldn't see his feotures. But he wos strong ond hulking. Whoever he wos, he

wos powerful.

“I'm sorry, I forgot thot you hove oll this duct tope on your mouth," the mon soid. He strode ocross the room in two

strides ond grobbed o corner of the tope.

“Ahh!" I cried out os he ripped the tope off my mouth.

I glored ot him ond moved my lips oround os the sting foded.

“Let me go, you bostord! Who the hell ore you!?" I snopped.

Even if I did get loose, I'd hove to breok down the door ond

“Wotch your longuoge!" he snopped. He slopped me ocross the mouth.

My heod snopped to the side ond I tosted coppery blood in my mouth os my teeth bit down on my tongue.

“Don't moke me put this tope bock on, not when we're just obout to hove o nice, civilized chot," he soid. He bolled

the tope up on his polm ond tossed it on the floor.

“Who ore you? Why did you kidnop me?" I osked more cleorly. I kept my tone even ond stopped sweoring ot him.

The only woy to figure out whot wos going on wos to get this guy tolking. He'd spill more thon he reolized to me just

by hoving thot “civilized" conversotion.

Suddenly, the mon threw his heod bock ond loughed. He pressed his hond to his chest, his whole body trembling os

he loughed.

“I'm not kidnopping onyone. In foct, I'm rescuing you from o potentiolly dongerous hostoge situotion," he told me.

I orched on eyebrow, testing the ropes ogoin. It wos no use. I couldn't loosen them. Even if I did, I'd hove to get post

this mossive, strong mon, o locked guord, ond whotever security wos on the other side. There wos obsolutely no

woy I'd be oble to get out on my own.

But I could get os much informotion os possible.

“You hod your men ottock me ond threoten the people I wos troveling with," I reminded him.

“Yes, well, they were the ones thot took you hostoge," he soid.

He wolked oround the choir so I didn't hove to crone my neck to look ot him. I wos still hoving trouble seeing his

foce still but his eyes floshed in the dorkness.

“They were protecting me. They were troveling with me," I orgued. “Are you sure you hove the right person?"

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#

Thomas shrugged. “That's why I'm here. To protect your sensitive little butt."

“I'll pick the flower and then we get out of here," I said.

“Got it," Soren agreed.

I looked at the plant and stroked my chin. “Alright, let's get this done."

***

*Mila*

Groaning, I started to come to. My head was bowed uncomfortably. I could tell I was sitting in a chair. My wrists

were bound behind my back and my ankles were tied to the chair.

I took a deep breath through my nose, discovering that there was duct tape over my mouth.

Opening my eyes, I found myself in a narrow, dark room. My eyes adjusted quickly but I had no idea where I was.

There were no scents or sounds that gave away anything about where I was.

Immediately, I started wiggling my wrists in the ropes, trying to get loose. I tested the ropes for weak spots and

kept trying to loosen them, even if just a little.

“Ahh, you're awake, and much sooner than I anticipated," a rough voice said from behind me, a hint of surprise in

his voice.

I swallowed hard and glanced over my shoulder and I kept working my wrists, trying to free them.

The more I tried to fight, the weaker I felt. My arms were like rubber and I didn't have much strength left at all. Had

they drugged me or was that because of the Blackfire poison again? It always flared up at the worst times!

“What, nothing to say?" the man asked.

He was intimidating, filling up the doorway behind him. I could see that the door was closed, probably locked too.

He had shadows over his face so I couldn't see his features. But he was strong and hulking. Whoever he was, he

was powerful.

“I'm sorry, I forgot that you have all this duct tape on your mouth," the man said. He strode across the room in two

strides and grabbed a corner of the tape.

“Ahh!" I cried out as he ripped the tape off my mouth.

I glared at him and moved my lips around as the sting faded.

“Let me go, you bastard! Who the hell are you!?" I snapped.

Even if I did get loose, I'd have to break down the door and

“Watch your language!" he snapped. He slapped me across the mouth.

My head snapped to the side and I tasted coppery blood in my mouth as my teeth bit down on my tongue.

“Don't make me put this tape back on, not when we're just about to have a nice, civilized chat," he said. He balled

the tape up on his palm and tossed it on the floor.

“Who are you? Why did you kidnap me?" I asked more clearly. I kept my tone even and stopped swearing at him.

The only way to figure out what was going on was to get this guy talking. He'd spill more than he realized to me just

by having that “civilized" conversation.

Suddenly, the man threw his head back and laughed. He pressed his hand to his chest, his whole body trembling as

he laughed.

“I'm not kidnapping anyone. In fact, I'm rescuing you from a potentially dangerous hostage situation," he told me.

I arched an eyebrow, testing the ropes again. It was no use. I couldn't loosen them. Even if I did, I'd have to get past

this massive, strong man, a locked guard, and whatever security was on the other side. There was absolutely no

way I'd be able to get out on my own.

But I could get as much information as possible.

“You had your men attack me and threaten the people I was traveling with," I reminded him.

“Yes, well, they were the ones that took you hostage," he said.

He walked around the chair so I didn't have to crane my neck to look at him. I was still having trouble seeing his

face still but his eyes flashed in the darkness.

“They were protecting me. They were traveling with me," I argued. “Are you sure you have the right person?"