Sold AS The alpha King's Breeder

Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder Chapter 840

Chapter 51: Lost and Found

*Eliza*

Everything was terrible.

Scarlett and I huddled together, shoulder to shoulder, trying to keep warm. It was dumping rain like I'd never seen. We were soaked to the bones, and had nowhere to hide from the downpour that had started over a full day ago and hadn't let up at all since then.

The first two days of our journey had been stupidly easy. The forest was in full bloom, the first signs of summer evident as we walked along the trail for miles and miles and miles. Flowers dappled the rich, emerald-colored moss. The trees were heavy with green buds and freshly unfurled leaves. It smelled like heaven, rich and crisp and green.

Scarlett's quiet disposition had been a blessing in disguise, her silent stealth proving useful when it came to catching rabbits to roast over our nightly fire. We ate like kings, slept on beds off moss that felt like clouds, and whistled to the birds chirping overhead as we traveled deeper into the forest Jared and his men had been so fearful of.

But we'd made a miscalculation somewhere and ended up off the trail.

It was as if the forest had snapped its theoretical fingers and unleashed hell on Scarlett and me just for enjoying ourselves.

The relentless rain made the forest live up to its name. Even in the daytime, it had felt as though we were walking through a moonless night. I'd successfully kept the witch from my mind during the first two days of our trek... but in the darkness?

All I could hear was the way her fork had scraped across her plate, the way her long fingernails rapped against the wood of that table loaded with food. All I could smell was that illusion of decadence that hid the gore beneath the spell she'd cast on me like a fishing net.

But as much I gave into the fear as the darkness and rain consumed us, I didn't taste the metallic coating of magic on my tongue. I didn't feel like I was being watched. We were alone-utterly, wholly alone.

And maybe that made it worse.

"What're we going to do?" Scarlett said through chattering teeth. "I don't even know what time it is anymore. It's been dark since-since we crossed that creek-"

"That was at least twenty miles ago," I replied, tucking my trembling hands between my thighs. I'd stuffed the map to Myrel down my shirt, nestling it against my bare skin to try to keep it dry. But all of the layers I was wearing were wet now. Our backpacks were full of water. I couldn't risk taking out the map of Egoren we'd found in the storage closet to try to figure out where we were, not until we found shelter.

Scarlett turned to look behind the tree we were resting against. I knew she couldn't see anything, not with the sheets of nearly obsidian rain rushing into us with every breath that we took.

"I thought I saw some rocks ahead... like, a rock face. I think we're near the mountains you found on your map. We've covered enough ground to be nearby."

"Let's go, then. We'll be warmer if we keep moving."

We helped each other up, clinging to the tree as we shook the water from our coats. We trudged through ankle-deep mud, neither of us speaking Our oil lanterns had been swamped with water yesterday, rendered absolutely f*****g useless.

I would have forced her to turn around... I was still thinking about it. But in reality, this journey was for Scarlett. We were going to get her son. We'd make it to Abel's territory or die trying.

Then I would... Go. Go north... follow my stupid map based on Jared's stupid tattoos into the unknown... alone.

"I think it might be morning," Scarlett said after an hour of walking.

"Who knows?" I shivered. I wasn't even sure if she could hear me over the rain. "But we need to get warm and dry soon. This is getting dangerous."

"We should have reached Abel's territory by now," she replied, shielding her eyes from the rain. She stumbled, and I reached out to steady her. "The map I took from the storage room had his territory marked-"

"We're lost," I admitted, the words burning my tongue. "We have been for a while."

I hated myself for thinking I was strong enough to guide Scarlett through the Dark Forest. Of all places to be lost, this was the worst one I could think of by far. Maybe the rain was a blessing and the only thing keeping the demons and ghouls who crept through the darkness at bay.

We walked on and fell into silence for a long while. My mind began to wonder, my body going numb to the chill and rain and falling into rabid hunger.

All I could think about was the chocolate cake Miriam had made a few days ago. It had chunks of candied ginger in it, and coffee frosting. Tears welled in my eyes as I thought of the cake. I was really losing it now, for sure.

"Look!" Scarlett cried, rushing forward.

I blinked into the downpour and adjusted the weight of my backpack. Scarlett was there one minute, and gone the next.

"Scarlett? Scarlett!"

I saw a glint of red in the shadows before me and Scarlett's face came into view, a delirious smile stretching from cheek to cheek.

I wiped my eyes, trying to clear the water from my vision.

"It's a cave! And there's wood in here. Someone made a fire a long time ago!"

I rushed forward, shrugging off my backpack and letting it fall with a splash in the entrance of the cave. It was wide and tall enough for us both to stand.

"Get out of your jacket and boots. We'll make a fire and get dry," I said quickly, coming back to my senses. I roamed around the cave in the dark, gathering dry kindling. Oh, thank the Goddess. Someone up there was watching out for us.

I heard Scarlett moving around behind me and suddenly the cave erupted in a spray of amber light as she struck a match.

I could have fallen to my knees and wept. I was sure all of our matches were soaked, worthless.

It didn't take long to build a fire. The cave was shallow enough that the whole area heated and dried quickly. Scarlett and I laid out our wet clothes, socks, and shoes. I took everything out of our packs to dry while Scarlett laid out jerky, what was left of our bread, and boiled a small pot of rainwater to drink.

"This is all the food we have left. The rest is soaked."

"I know," I replied, shivering as I shook out my pants and laid them out on the ground near the fire. "This rain has got to let up soon."

I felt a rush of apprehension as the rain pounded outside the cave. The trees trembled in the storm, moving and swaying like dancers bathed in blue shadows. A fire would draw attention to anything that was lurking nearby. I grabbed my belt off the ground and unsheathed Jared's dagger, running my thumb over the engravings on the hilt. I knew I'd rather go down swinging than die of exposure.

I walked over to Scarlett, who was sitting next to the fire in nothing but the tight-fitting thermal leggings and matching shirt we'd found in the storage room. I was wearing the same, thankful the material was quick to dry.

I'd already laid out the map to what I hoped was Myrel to dry near the fire. Scarlett had unrolled the more modern, technical map of the area and had it drying next to her, flattened by several rocks.

"I have no idea where we are now," she whispered, looking down at the map.

"It's okay. We can figure that out when the rain stops. We'll rest here for a few days if need be."NôvelDrama.Org is the owner.

She looked up at me, a shadow of a smile touching her lips.

"The men are probably on our trail," she said softly. "Do you think they'll find us?"

"Not anymore," I said with sudden regret. "It would be impossible to pick up our scent after all of this rain."

I found it likely Jared would raise hell whenever he got home from hunting the people who hurt Archer and had found out what we'd done. He'd be coming after us, even if Brandt and Archer were already on our trail.

I felt a pang of guilt at the thought of Archer and Brandt. We'd dosed them appropriately, so I was sure we hadn't accidentally killed them... but still. I considered them my friends and....

I hugged my knees to my chest, wiggling my bare toes near the fire. Scarlett handed me a piece of bread, which was damp on one end and toasted to a crisp on the other side. I gave her a soft smile in thanks and gingerly bit into my bread.

We didn't speak for a long time. Scarlett eventually curled up in the fetal position with her half-dried coat covering her like a blanket.

My body was exhausted but my mind was moving at a hundred miles per hour as I rested my back against the side of the cave, looking out into the downpour.

Maybe I had fallen asleep. I wasn't totally sure if I was dreaming or not, because at some point during the day or night-whatever time it was-l saw a night-dark shadow move through the rain.

I reflexively gripped the blade I had resting along my thigh. Whatever it was, it was coming closer, stalking toward the cave through the dark and the rain like a ghost.

But then it lifted its head, blood-red eyes searing me to my soul. I screamed.

I leaped to my feet just in time for a rogue wolf to slam me back into the ground, the dagger clattering against the dirt and stone feet from where I now lay. Scarlett screamed, woken violently by the commotion.

"RUN!" I cried, then screamed in agony as the wolf clamped its jaws around my shoulder and shook me.

I felt for the dagger, my fingertips grazing the blade. The rogue was trying to rip my arm off, its teeth breaking through my skin and a large, mud-covered paw pressing down on my neck. My vision dappled with black spots as I fought for breath and my hold on the knife.

Help me. Help me! Someone-

I felt a pop in my shoulder and pain radiated through my body. I saw nothing but black for a moment, then felt... wet... something wet and warm seeping into my thermals and pooling against my skin. Scarlett's voice, shrill and terrified, filled my ears as I blinked, my vision blurred by tears.

"Oh no, oh-oh no, no- Eliza? Oh, please-"

I couldn't breathe. Was I bleeding out? Had that popping feeling been the wolf ripping my arm clean off?

Scarlett screamed with effort and something warm and heavy slumped to the ground beside me. I saw a glint of metal and peered over at it, seeing the flames from the fire reflecting in Jared's dagger, which was stuck in the throat of a large, black wolf.

I choked on a laugh or a sob, I didn't know. Scarlett was hovering over me in an instant, her hands on either side of my face.

"How many arms do I have?" I croaked, tears

streaming down my temples and into my hair.

"T-two," she sobbed, shaking her head. "You killed it."

"Oh," I said casually. I felt like I was on edge of slipping back into whatever dream I'd been having.

My toes felt cold. I craned my neck, seeing that my legs below the knee were exposed to the elements outside of the cave.

But my eyes moved upward to the two tawny colored wolves standing a few yards away from the cave's entrance. One of them sat back on its haunches. The other stepped forward, eyeing us with interest.

Scarlett grabbed me by the armpits and pulled me deeper into the cave, panting and straining against. my weight.

A darkened figure ran up behind the wolves,

cloaked from the rain. He froze, a large bow in one hand.

"You killed that rogue?" an unfamiliar man said, his voice lifted with mingled concern and confusion.

"Sorry," I murmured, then closed my eyes, letting myself spiral into oblivion.