Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder
Chapter 1166 - 77 : A Future of Possibilities

Chapter 1166: Chapter 77 : A Future of Possibilities

*Rion*

Alpha Cyrus of Thorn Forest arrived at the palace for a formal dinner with the royal family and with me. King Xander set it up so Alpha Cyrus could see if Daphne and I would be a good fit for Thorn Forest.

“I’m not sure what to expect,” Daphne answered honestly as she changed into her formal dress.

King Xander and Queen Lena insisted we get dressed up to make the best impression. I hadn’t been in a suit since the masquerade when I’d kidnapped Daphne.

Daphne sighed and came out of the bathroom. She had a deep frown on her face. “I look like a blimp.” She held her arms out to the sides.

I rolled my lip in, holding back my smile.

She was crazy. Daphne’s dress was a gorgeous empire waist dress, the long, emerald skirt flowing freely to the ground. There was a silky sash at her waist, and the top of her dress was emerald sequins.

“You look stunning.” I grabbed her shawl and held it out to her.

“You have to say that,” she grumbled.

I wrapped her shawl around her arms and kissed her cheek. “No, I don’t. I mean it.”

“I swear, I’m going to explode right out of this dress. I feel so bloated and pudgy.”

Smirking, I ran my fingers down her bare arm. She gasped and shivered under my touch.

“It’s all in your head, Baby. You look amazing.”

Her cheeks reddened slightly and she looked at the floor. That’s all I wanted to see, her smiling and believing me when I told her she looked beautiful.

She did. Even with her belly starting to round out, I thought it made her even more attractive.

We joined Daphne’s parents and siblings in the great dining hall. A long banquet table was set and servants moved around, setting out warm, steaming dishes.

I smelled every delectable scent. When I glanced at Daphne, her eyes lit up. I hoped the smells wouldn’t be too strong for her. By the look on her face, she wasn’t bothered by it at all.

“Daphne, Rion, come sit here.” Lena waved us over. “We’ll sit Alpha Cyrus across from you two so he has a good reason to talk to the two of you.”

She patted two of the large chairs. Lena was dressed in a white satin dress with silver embroidery, the colors I’d expect someone closely associated with the Moon Goddess to wear.

Only, she had forfeited that connection.

I looped my arm through Daphne’s and led her to the indicated chairs. I pulled Daphne’s chair out for her. She shot me a look but sat down.

Slowly, the rest of the royal family filtered in and everyone took their seats. The king and queen had gone all out with their royal meal. There were roast meats, fresh salads, warm soups, puddings, pastries, all of it.

I didn’t think I’d ever seen so much food in all my life, especially not for one meal.

Alpha Cyrus arrived and dutifully took his seat across from Daphne and me.

“I appreciate the invitation, King Xander. I know we have business to discuss.”

“Yes. Given your... circumstances, I thought we should put the matter to rest over the succession of Thorn Forest.”

Alpha Cyrus nodded, a somber look touching his lips. The Alphas I knew did care about their people and their packs. I wondered what his “circumstances” were.

As we started on the multiple courses of the royal feast, Alpha Cyrus studied Daphne and me from across the table.

"I must say, when I received word of your daring rescue of the princess from Gareth’s vile clutches, I was quite impressed," he remarked, slicing into his roast duck. "Fighting your way into an enemy’s heavily fortified territory takes great courage and skill."

I nodded politely, touched by his praise. "Thank you, Alpha Cyrus. When I learned Daphne was in danger, I didn’t hesitate. I would do anything to protect her."

Under the table, Daphne squeezed my hand gratefully.

"As any proper mate should," Cyrus approved. "The ferocity with which you fought for your woman shows the fierce loyalty of a true Alpha. You reminded me of myself in my youth." He laughed heartily.

"We were fortunate to have help," I added. "Your guides assisted us greatly on the journey."

Cyrus inclined his head. "Yes, I heard you made quite a positive impression on my wolves. It seems you have a talent for inspiring followers."

I straightened slightly in my chair, warmed by his words. I had never imagined myself as the leader of a pack before, but the more Cyrus spoke, the more the idea appealed to me. With Daphne at my side as Luna, we could build a good life and provide stability for our children.

"Thorn Forest would be lucky to have a dedicated pair like you to guide them into the future," Cyrus said, as if reading my thoughts.

I met Daphne’s eyes briefly. Though still hesitant, she offered a small encouraging smile. My chest swelled with hope at the prospect of all the possibilities spread out before us.

Alpha Cyrus nodded. “King Xander and Queen Lena have told me more about you. I must say, I’m impressed with the accomplishments you’ve made in a short time. Overcoming a powerful coven, the remnants of a darker time, and the discovery of a hidden treasure.”

“Well, we didn’t do it all alone,” Daphne piped up. “We had help.”

“As I would expect. Good leaders know when they need the support of their followers.”

Servants came around and poured us some wine. Daphne stuck to sparkling cider. I noted Alpha Cyrus studying her glass with cider in it. Her belly wasn’t noticeable from under the table or her high-waisted dress, but it looked like he suspected she was pregnant.

Maybe that wasn’t a bad thing for a man considering who would take over command of his pack. He’d want a successor that had prospective heirs.

“If you don’t mind me asking, why don’t you already have a successor?” I asked, cutting into my roasted meat. The knife slid through the tender cut like it was butter, and saliva built in the back of my teeth.

“It was a different time back then. I came to Thorn Forest decades ago. As luck would have it, war broke out shortly after. As you can imagine, there were setbacks, but eventually, I became the leader and Alpha of the pack.”

Beside me, Daphne tensed. “You led your pack through all of that?”

“It wasn’t easy, but I was determined. Unfortunately, I prioritized my pack over my family. The war eventually caught up to us and I lost my Luna and young children in their devastation.”

Daphne gasped and I took her hand under the table. “I’m so sorry for your loss.”

Alpha Cyrus sighed. “I could have remarried and produced heirs, but at that point, the wars occupied my life. Both the realms were in quite a state.”

“I remember all of it. It was a hard time all around.” Xander agreed, reaching for his wine.

“By the time the wars were over and I returned to Thorn Forest, we had a lot of rebuilding to do. Once again, I prioritized rebuilding my pack. One day, I turned around and realized my whole life had passed me by.” Cyrus leaned back in his chair and rubbed his chin with wizened, wrinkled fingers. He motioned to one of the servants. “Do you have anything a little stronger than wine?”

The servant nodded and disappeared for a moment. She returned with a glass of hard liquor for the old Alpha.

“Soon, I will be stepping down. I’m in my sixties now and I cannot maintain the pack. But I won’t do that until I know I’ve chosen the right successor, someone who will consider the future of my pack, even though it is small.”

“And you think that could be us?” Daphne asked.

“Well, I didn’t come all this way for the bourbon. Although, the palace bourbon is quite lovely.” He chuckled and took a large gulp from his glass. “If the two of you are serious about being Alpha and Luna, then I will seriously consider passing the baton to you.”

I glanced at Daphne. She nibbled lightly at her food and couldn’t seem to look up from her plate.

Dinner wrapped up with a dessert of ice cream, fresh fruit, and a few types of cake.

Cyrus and Xander exchanged some casual conversation about politics and goings on in the Light and Dark Realms.

Every now and then, I noticed Cyrus glance our way. He seemed particularly interested in Daphne. I wondered what that was about but I didn’t ask.

As dessert wrapped up, Alpha Cyrus stood. He stretched quickly and looked at us pointedly.

“I’d like to continue this discussion further if the two of you have the time and energy tonight. I think it would be best to have a private audience with each of you.”

“You can use my office,” Xander interjected.

I knew that Daphne wasn’t ready to commit to anything with Thorn Forest, so I agreed to meet with Alpha Cyrus first. I made sure Daphne was comfortable and joined him in Xander’s office.

“So, you have an interest in being an Alpha?” he said, opening the conversation.

Cyrus lounged in Xander’s desk chair, a fresh glass of bourbon on the desk in front of him. He looked very laid back for a man in his sixties.

I rubbed the back of my neck. “Well, I am considering.”

“I suspected she was breeding. That’s a good thing. I wouldn’t want someone who couldn’t prove their virility to take over Thorn Forest. It’s a small pack, but I built it with my own two hands, and I’m not going to turn it over to someone without a future leadership plan.”

I chuckled and nodded. “I suspected as much. Otherwise, you would have found someone closer to home as your successor.”

“It’s true. However, your reputation precedes you, and when King Xander said you were the candidate he had in mind, I didn’t care whether or not you had a family yet.”

“Really?” I gawked at him. “What reputation?”

I imagined my reputation for kidnapping a princess, being Hestia’s son, consorting with pirates, and a known enemy of the palace would make him more suspicious of me.

Cyrus polished off his bourbon with one gulp and a long, “Ahh.” He set the glass down firmly and motioned me closer.

I stood in front of the desk. He came around and held his chin, circling me like a vulture circles a meal.

“While some people might judge you on your deeds and your actions, I look deeper than that. Everything you’ve done shows impeccable strength and determination–two qualities of a strong Alpha, especially when those are applied to their pack.”

“Oh?”

He walked around me in one final circle, his bright eyes studying me like I was a lab specimen.

“Crismon Creek needs vitality and young blood, strong blood to thrive. I know a strong leader when I see one, despite the skeletons in his closet.”

“You’d overlook all that...?”

I was liking Alpha Cyrus more and more. He looked at the qualities someone had, the motives behind their actions, not just what they did.

“Between your strength and determination and the rumor of your treasure hoard, you’d be a formidable leader and protector.”

“Thank you.”

Cyrus nodded. “Daphne too, as a princess, is the perfect candidate with her bloodline. However, I sensed some hesitation on her part, and that I won’t tolerate when considering who will take over command.”

I knew that Daphne wasn’t ready to make that decision. She needed a little time, but I hoped after talking to Cyrus, she’d know what she wanted to do.

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