Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder
Chapter 1032 - 95 : Returning to Reality

Chapter 1032: Chapter 95 : Returning to Reality

I stared out at the ocean while Lucas packed up our bags. The water was so calm in the morning, lapping gently against the sand.

I didn’t want to leave the peaceful coast and the little bungalow, but I knew that we had to get back. Lucas had promised Lena and Xander we wouldn’t be gone for more than a day and a night.

We needed news of the orb, anyway. There was no way to get back to our own reality without it and we couldn’t hide out on a beach forever.

The journey back to the palace was easy. We didn’t get held up at all. I hoped that meant our luck had turned around.

As soon as we got to the palace, we went straight to Lena’s office. She’d left word with her guards to have us meet her there.

“Did you find the past orb?” I asked before Lena could say anything.

Lena smiled and stood up slowly. “We did. Xander doubled the work detail at the library and we uncovered the temple. The orb was right where you thought it would be.”

I sighed in relief and closed my eyes.

“Thank the Moon Goddess,” I whispered.

“Lena, can you take us to it? It’s time to return to our own reality.” Lucas stepped up beside me.

“I believe it is time, indeed, for the two of you to return.”

Lena walked us through the palace to a secret room.

“I thought it best not to keep the orbs and the magical staff with the other magical artifacts. They are very potent and volatile. I had them moved to a different room where Xander is keeping them under special guard.”

“That seems wise,” Lucas muttered.

Lena let us into the room. The two orbs and the staff were laid out on a table. There were guards at the door and more guards inside.

Xander himself stood guard at the table with the artifacts. Lucas went right up to the table and picked up the past orb.

“How was the temple?”

“Still intact, mostly,” Xander reported. “No cave-ins and no one got injured in the excavation.”

“I’m glad to hear it.” Lucas handed me the orb. Immediately, the power vibrated through me. I closed my fingers around it and sighed again.

Somehow, holding the orb made me feel better. I felt like I was finally in control of everything again.

“You’re just in time, Sasha, Lucas. We only just got the orbs today,” Xander added.

“What about the staff? Is there anything you learned about that?” I eyed it uncomfortably. There was no way I was touching that thing again.

“We had some mages take a look at it. Unfortunately, they couldn’t tell us anything more. The gemstone is mystical, which I think we all guessed,” Lena explained.

She walked up to the table and hovered her hand over the staff.

I cringed and reached out, pushing her hand away.

“Be careful. I don’t trust it.”

Lena smiled at me. “I think it is mostly harmless at this point.”

“We don’t know that. I’m still having trouble feeling my powers. Once they left my system after I passed out in the throne room, they faded quickly. I don’t think they were actually restored.”

“Sasha, you didn’t tell me that.” Lucas put his hand on the small of my back.

I nodded slowly. “We were having so much fun. I just wanted to enjoy it all and relax. You’re the one who told me not to worry.”

Lucas grinned and nodded. “You’re right. I did.”

I turned back to the king and queen. “Thank you so much for getting these things together again. They will come in handy on our journey home.”

“If the two of you are ready, do you think you’d like to attempt returning home?”

A smile tugged at my lips. I was unprepared for the huge relief that swept through me. For the first time, I realized just how much I wanted to get back to my reality.

We’d been running around for so long. Even in our own home, we’d been chasing after orbs. We finally had them together and we could keep them safe.

It was time to go back to our own lives, the lives we’d worked hard to build.

“You have no idea how ready I am,” I admitted.

Lucas laughed lightly and put his arm around my shoulders.

“We’re both ready.”

“Um... have you guys figured out how we are supposed to get back to our timeline?” I asked, biting my lower lip.

“I do have a theory about that,” Lena said. “I thought that with your power, you would just need to hold the orbs in your hands and look into them. Your power would show you different realities and you could find the one you belong in.”

“Right, but I don’t have my powers. So, what do I do now?”

“I’ve been thinking about that... Sasha, I’m afraid you’re not going to like it much.”

My stomach flipped and I studied Lena’s face. There was something in her voice that had me worried.

“The staff still contains your power if you do not. It wouldn’t just disappear into the air. You could access that power again by holding the staff.”

My legs trembled slightly and I turned toward Lucas, my eyes wide.

“I can’t pick up the staff again. I’ll lose control and hurt people again.”

“Sasha.” Lucas put his hands on my shoulders and steadied me. “You’re not in danger here. No one is attacking you. I don’t think the same thing will happen. “

“You can’t be sure. I wasn’t trying to hurt anyone last time.”

I looked deeply into Lucas’s encouraging eyes. He could steady me and ground me, but I was still afraid.

“You weren’t prepared last time. You’ll know what to expect now.”

I shook my head. “I shouldn’t pick it up. I’m afraid. I’m not ready.”

I eyed the staff nervously. Before I realized what I was doing, my hand started moving toward it.

Gasping, I pulled my hand back. What was I doing? The staff felt like it was calling to me.

“We have to try, Sasha. It is the only way to get back to our reality.”

I chewed the inside of my cheek.

Lena reached over the table and took my hand. “If you’d like, we can clear the room of everyone but Xander and myself. If anything does go wrong, I’m certain that I can protect us. But I do not think you will have any trouble this time.”

I squeezed her fingers. Suddenly, my heart sank. I looked down.

“Sasha, what’s the matter?”

“I just realized how much I’m going to miss you guys.”

Lena arched an eyebrow. “You have your own Xander and Lena. Your Lena will likely have memories of your travels, the same as me, since I studied your power with my Moon Goddess power.”

I nodded. “I know, but still, those in our reality are different people.”

“We have our own relationships to rebuild with the people who belong in our timeline,” said Lucas.

“O-okay, I’ll give it a try.”

“I’ll be right here with you, Sasha,” he said, “the whole time. I do not believe that you will hurt me, or anyone else for that matter.”

I took a deep breath and picked up the second orb. They both fit nicely in my palm together. When they touched each other, the power between them vibrated even more. I felt it right into my very soul.

They belonged to each other. They wanted to be together. I could feel how their power was in perfect harmony.

With their power together, I felt more confident suddenly.

“Alright, what do I do?”

Lena motioned to the staff. “Hold the orbs in one hand, the staff in the other. The magic should flow through you and you can channel it into the orbs. Then you’ll be able to sort through the realities to find your own.”

“O-okay... and how do I get us back?”

“Lucas, you should hold onto Sasha. You don’t want her slipping away and leaving you stuck here.” Lena chuckled and motioned Lucas closer to me.

He put his arm around my waist.

“Alright, pick up the staff, Sasha. If this doesn’t work, we’ll need to try something else.”

I paused a moment longer and took a big, deep breath. I reached out and grabbed the staff.

Suddenly, the gemstone glowed. The staff trembled, and the orb vibrated even more. I kept breathing deeply, focusing on Lucas’s arm around me.

I could do this....

The orbs trebled more and I opened my eyes, staring into them. Like television channels, I saw different realities flipping through the orbs. I saw dozens of versions of Lucas and me in different realities.

“I can’t see... they are moving too fast.”

“Sasha, you’re in control.” Lena’s voice came to me. “Slow it down. Focus on finding your real reality. You belong there. It should be easier to find.”

“My reality, our reality... home, I’m thinking of home,” I confirmed.

The images changed again and I willed them to slow down.

Then I saw it–an image of Lucas and me laying in bed together. We had our arms around each other and I had a slight baby bump.

“That’s it! I found it. I found our reality,” I gushed.

“Go into your body, Sasha, and don’t forget to take Lucas with you.”

I focused on Lucas again and willed us back into our bodies.

A rush of air swarmed around us and I felt like I was spinning in circles. Lucas’s arm never left my side and we spun together.

Everything blurred around me and I thought I’d get sick to my stomach. I closed my eyes.

When the air stopped rushing, I opened my eyes. I was lying in bed with Lucas’s arms around me.

His eyes were still closed.

I sighed heavily and nuzzled closer to him. It felt good to be home.

Lucas opened his eyes and smiled at me. “Hey, you.”

“We made it.”

Lucas chuckled and leaned in, kissing the tip of my nose. I leaned closer to him and wrapped my arms around him.

He slipped his fingers through my hair. Everything felt so good and so real... but it was wrong.

I frowned and looked down at my stomach–my flat, baby-less stomach.

“Lucas...”

“What is it?”

“The baby’s gone.”

“What!?” Lucas pushed the blanket back and saw my flat stomach.

This was all wrong. I reached down inside and searched for my magic. I met a wall of emptiness.

“I can’t feel my magic, either. Lucas, we aren’t home yet... we can’t be!”

He put his hands on my flat stomach. “What happened?”

I shook my head. We did everything Lena had said. How did we get to the wrong timeline, again? Or had we irrevocably damaged our reality?