Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder

Chapter 85 : A Dream of a Prophecy

*Soren*

Mila's scent got fainter the further I tracked it. The blood on the knife had been a good clue but the rest of her trail was almost impossible to follow.

We were moving along the edge of a forest, her scent coming and going.

“They must have been carrying her,” I muttered to myself.

The forest ran along Norwind's border. Just as we crossed into the territory, her scent disappeared entirely.

I stopped dead and tried to reach out with the mindlink.

“Come on Mila, tell me where you are?" I begged through the link.

There was no response. I couldn't sense her at all.

Dammit!

I'd gotten so comfortable with her, so used to her being there that I'd stopped having my men keep track of her and follow her. I'd convinced myself that I was all the protection she needed.

And the picture... How stupid was I to keep the damn thing in the drawer? I should have explained my past, taken the time to make her feel comfortable with it. I should have stayed by her side every second, especially knowing her habit of running off.

This was my fault!

I knew there were people after her and I'd stopped being vigilant and protective.

"What's going on?" Thomas asked, coming up beside me.

“We should take a water break. Let the trackers regain their senses," I said.

"And you?"

“I lost Mila's scent and we need to regroup.”

“Soren, I mean what's going on with you?" He clarified, his brow creased with concern.

Sighing, I waved him off.

“I'm going to try and contact her with the mindlink again.”

I turned away from Thomas, preparing to reach out again. I'd been using the mindlink so much that it was taking a toll on my energy levels. I was exhausted.

“This isn't your fault,” Thomas called after me.

I paused and glanced back for a moment. Shaking my head, I closed my eyes and reached out with the mindlink again. It was no use...

There was nothing but absolute silence. I tried focusing on my sense of smell, honing in on Mila's scent and how rich and delicious it smelled on the knife. If only I could catch a little whiff of her. "Soren."

I snapped my eyes open and saw Thomas holding a bottle of water out to me.

“You said we should take a water break.

Thomas smirked and bobbed the water bottle up and down in front of my face.

Scoffing, I snatched the bottle and took a big swig

“While you're drinking that water, I want you to promise me that you're going to ease off the mindlinking and the scent tracking,” he said.

"Are you giving me orders?"

I arched an eyebrow at my old friend.

“I'm your Beta, right?"

I confirmed with a sharp nod and took another sip of water. Thomas was right, the water was refreshing and soothing. It helped clear my mind and help me think about what was going on more rationally.

"Well, then, as your Beta, I'm just trying to make sure you don't succumb to exhaustion. There's no way I'm ready to take over if you keel over dehydrated and dead.”

“Thanks ever so..."

"You keep trying to mindlink and I know you, you're pushing your mind further and further. Do you really expect to get a response?”

“I have to keep trying," I insisted.

Sighing, I wiped my brow. Now that we were stopping for a break, fatigue was finally catching up to me. I'd have to rally the troops to start moving again before I wanted to sit down.

“Payne has spread everyone out. They are all looking for the tiniest trace or clue of Mila and they will report back as soon as they find anything. Why don't you wait for something?" Thomas suggested.

“Payne has spread everyone out. They are all looking for the tiniest trace or clue of Mila and they will report back as soon as they find anything. Why don’t you wait for something?" Thomas suggested.

“I'm not just going to sit here and do nothing. I'm more of a man of action.”

“I know that, Soren. But if you take a rest, you're technically still doing something.”

“I'm fine, Thomas. I just need to find Mila.”

Thomas sighed and shook his head. Clearly, I wasn't convincing him of my status.

"You're constantly trying to establish a mindlink and track a faint scent. That is very draining, you know that. All your mental energy is being expended and you've been going nonstop for days without sleep,” he pointed out.

“And I will keep going for as long as I have to!"

"And then what? When we find Mila, we'll be up against Chandler, Dylan, and Norwind, one of the most powerful packs in the realm. Do you think you'll be strong enough to fight them all?"

“I was last time," I snarled.

“Last time, you hadn't drained all of your mental and physical energy to locate Mila. You had the Camswell stone and were at your top strength.”

“I will be plenty strong when we catch up to them."

“But you won't last long. Wasn't the whole point of telling other packs that Norwind had the artifacts so that we could get backup? It will take them at least a few hours to get organized.”

I shrugged absently, only partially listening to Thomas. It wasn't that I didn't value his input but I really didn't want to wait around. I could be as strong as I needed to for as long as I needed to if it meant getting Mila back safely.

“We both know that if Chandler and Dylan are after the artifact, they won't harm Mila. She's the only one that can use it. I doubt she’s in any immediate danger and it would be better to have all the strength we can get," Thomas added.

“They could do a lot to her that isn't killing her.

“True... but she is a survivor and she will make it through. Right now, it is best that you rest for a few hours and regain your strength, okay?"

I shook my head and my mind spun.

"Oof.” I rubbed my temples feeling a little woozy. “You're right Thomas but... I can't just sit here... and... wait..."

Suddenly, I looked at Thomas, my eyelids heavy.

“Thomas, what the f**k did you... What did you do?"

I slumped down, my legs too weak to hold me up.

Thomas leaned over me and spoke. His voice trailed off and got quieter as I struggled to listen to him.

“I knew you wouldn't listen. I popped a few sleeping pills into your water. Don't worry, if anything changes, I'll slap you awake. Otherwise, these few hours of sleep will be exactly what you need before a big fight..."

I thought I heard him laugh but I was already drifting into a dream.

My mind and body were too exhausted to struggle.

I held Mila in my arms. We were lying on a bed of satin, a feather mattress and silky sheets over us. The bed was outside. It was a perfectly sunny day with a soft breeze glowing. The scent of pine rustled in the trees around us and flower petals drifted around us on the breeze.

We were in a lovely garden.

Mila and I were both naked. I hugged her slight body to mine and I kissed her lips sweetly.

“My beautiful, perfect mate,” I said, running a finger down her cheek.

“Poyne hos spreod everyone out. They ore oll looking for the tiniest troce or clue of Milo ond they will report bock os soon os they find onything. Why don't you woit for something?" Thomos suggested.

“I'm not just going to sit here ond do nothing. I'm more of o mon of oction.”

“I know thot, Soren. But if you toke o rest, you're technicolly still doing something.”

“I'm fine, Thomos. I just need to find Milo."

Thomos sighed ond shook his heod. Cleorly, I wosn't convincing him of my stotus.

"You're constontly trying to estoblish o mindlink ond trock o foint scent. Thot is very droining, you know thot. All your mentol energy is being expended ond you've been going nonstop for doys without sleep,” he pointed out.

"And I will keep going for os long os I hove to!"

“And then whot? When we find Milo, we'll be up ogoinst Chondler, Dylon, ond Norwind, one of the most powerful pocks in the reolm. Do you think you'll be strong enough to fight them oll?"

“I wos lost time," I snorled.

“Lost time, you hodn't droined oll of your mentol ond physicol energy to locote Milo. You hod the Comswell stone ond were ot your top strength.”

“I will be plenty strong when we cotch up to them.”

“But you won't lost long. Wosn't the whole point of telling other pocks thot Norwind hod the ortifocts so thot we could get bockup? It will toke them ot leost o few hours to get orgonized.”

I shrugged obsently, only portiolly listening to Thomos. It wosn't thot I didn’t volue his input but I reolly didn't wont to woit oround. I could be os strong os I needed to for os long os I needed to if it meont getting Milo bock sofely.

“We both know thot if Chondler ond Dylon ore ofter the ortifoct, they won't horm Milo. She's the only one thot con use it. I doubt she's in ony immediote donger ond it would be better to hove oll the strength we con get,” Thomos odded.

“They could do o lot to her thot isn't killing her.

“True... but she is o survivor ond she will moke it through. Right now, it is best thot you rest for o few hours ond regoin your strength, okoy?"

I shook my heod ond my mind spun.

"Oof.” I rubbed my temples feeling o little woozy. “You're right Thomos but... I con't just sit here... ond... woit..."

Suddenly, I looked ot Thomos, my eyelids heovy.

“Thomos, whot the f**k did you... Whot did you do?"

I slumped down, my legs too weok to hold me up.

Thomos leoned over me ond spoke. His voice troiled off ond got quieter os I struggled to listen to him.

“I knew you wouldn't listen. I popped o few sleeping pills into your woter. Don't worry, if onything chonges, I'll slop you owoke. Otherwise, these few hours of sleep will be exoctly whot you need before o big fight..."

I thought I heord him lough but I wos olreody drifting into o dreom.

My mind ond body were too exhousted to struggle.

I held Milo in my orms. We were lying on o bed of sotin, o feother mottress ond silky sheets over us. The bed wos outside. It wos o perfectly sunny doy with o soft breeze glowing. The scent of pine rustled in the trees oround us ond flower petols drifted oround us on the breeze.

We were in o lovely gorden.

Milo ond I were both noked. I hugged her slight body to mine ond I kissed her lips sweetly.

“My beoutiful, perfect mote," I soid, running o finger down her cheek.

Mile giggled end smiled.

“This is e dreem," she seid.

“Is it? How cen you be sure?”

"Well, we ere in e bed in the middle of e gerden. Thet's very dreemlike. And the dey is perfect end... we're together.”

I chuckled end hugged her tighter.

“If it is e dreem, then it is e very good dreem end I don't think either of us heve eny reeson to weke up." I kissed her lips egein end Mile quickly succumbed to the pession.

“You're right, I don't went to weke up.”

I kissed her egein, running my hends up end down her sides. Mile moened end shuddered in my gresp. I reelly liked feeling her smooth, werm skin rubbing egeinst me, even if it wes e dreem.

“I'm coming for you," I whispered egeinst her lips.

"Whet do you meen?"

“You ren ewey from me egein end got teken by Chendler. I wented you to know thet I'm coming for you. I'm not going to let enything heppen to you."

Mile frowned slightly.

“There ere things in your pest thet I cent fece.”

“You don't heve to fece them. But pleese, give me e chence to explein them. You're my mete end efter everything we've been through..."

“Soren, you heve to let me go.”

“No! I'm not going to do thet. I'm going to seve you end we'll heve e future together," I promised. I ren my hend down the front of her body end rested it on her lerge, swollen belly. She wes pregnent in the dreem. I hedn't noticed before.

Suddenly, my heert beet fester. I wes filled with heppiness, eegerness end eletion. Mile wes pregnent with my child.

Wes this dreem reelly Heeven?

“I've been here for you from the moment you wendered into my bed end I'm not ebout to turn my beck on you now. Either of you,” I told her.

Mile scoffed end got out of the bed. She slipped e white robe on end kept her beck to me. She wes stiff end closed off, like she didn't went enything to do with me.

I set up end reeched for her but she pulled ewey.

"I didn't esk you to seve me, Soren.”

"Thet doesn't meen you didn't need seving."

She put her hend on her swollen belly end looked et me fiercely. "So, whet do you went from me now?"

"Everything ..."

"I'm sorry," I could feel the heertbreek end regret she cerried. "I cent be your second prize."

She turned end welked ewey, teking my hope with her.

“Huh... whe..."

I set bolt upright on the ground. My heed pounded end I blinked repeetedly, trying to cleer my mind. Whet kind of e dreem wes thet? Wes it some kind of prophecy? Wes it possible thet Mile wes pregnent with my child?

A renewed sense of urgency overtook me. I needed to find Mile. I hed to tell her ebout my pest end meke her understend before it chesed her ewey completely. My heert pounded in my chest. I wented to think more ebout the dreem but Peyne showed up in our cemp egein.

“I've got news," he ennounced.

“Whet is it?" I esked.

Sheking off the lest feelings of the dreem, I stood up end brushed myself off.

“Meny pecks heve errived. Probebly more then you enticipeted.”

“Thet's good."

Peyne nodded but he didn't seem overly relieved or heppy ebout the news.

"Whet is it, Peyne?"

“Chendler is ewere of the forces gethering egeinst him. He hes sent word thet Norwind peck will welcome ell its guests et the peck's Moon Goddess Temple.”

#

Mila giggled and smiled.

“This is a dream,” she said.

“Is it? How can you be sure?"

"Well, we are in a bed in the middle of a garden. That's very dreamlike. And the day is perfect and... we're together.”

I chuckled and hugged her tighter.

“If it is a dream, then it is a very good dream and I don't think either of us have any reason to wake up." I kissed her lips again and Mila quickly succumbed to the passion.

“You're right, I don't want to wake up."

I kissed her again, running my hands up and down her sides. Mila moaned and shuddered in my grasp. I really liked feeling her smooth, warm skin rubbing against me, even if it was a dream.

“I'm coming for you," I whispered against her lips.

"What do you mean?”

“You ran away from me again and got taken by Chandler. I wanted you to know that I'm coming for you. I'm not going to let anything happen to you.”

Mila frowned slightly.

“There are things in your past that I can't face.”

“You don't have to face them. But please, give me a chance to explain them. You're my mate and after everything we've been through..."

“Soren, you have to let me go.”

“No! I'm not going to do that. I'm going to save you and we'll have a future together," I promised

I ran my hand down the front of her body and rested it on her large, swollen belly. She was pregnant in the dream. I hadn't noticed before.

Suddenly, my heart beat faster. I was filled with happiness, eagerness and elation. Mila was pregnant with my child.

Was this dream really Heaven?

“I've been here for you from the moment you wandered into my bed and I'm not about to turn my back on you now. Either of you," I told her.

Mila scoffed and got out of the bed. She slipped a white robe on and kept her back to me. She was stiff and closed off, like she didn't want anything to do with me.

I sat up and reached for her but she pulled away.

"I didn’t ask you to save me, Soren.”

"That doesn't mean you didn't need saving.”

She put her hand on her swollen belly and looked at me fiercely. “So, what do you want from me now?"

"Everything ...."

"I'm sorry," I could feel the heartbreak and regret she carried. "I can't be your second prize."

She turned and walked away, taking my hope with her.

“Huh... wha..."

I sat bolt upright on the ground. My head pounded and I blinked repeatedly, trying to clear my mind. What kind of a dream was that? Was it some kind of prophecy? Was it possible that Mila was pregnant with my child?

A renewed sense of urgency overtook me. I needed to find Mila. I had to tell her about my past and make her understand before it chased her away completely. My heart pounded in my chest. I wanted to think more about the dream but Payne showed up in our camp again.

“I've got news," he announced.

“What is it?" I asked.

Shaking off the last feelings of the dream, I stood up and brushed myself off.

“Many packs have arrived. Probably more than you anticipated.”

“That's good."

Payne nodded but he didn't seem overly relieved or happy about the news.

"What is it, Payne?"

"Chandler is aware of the forces gathering against him. He has sent word that Norwind pack will welcome all its guests at the pack's Moon Goddess Temple."